The Webb Magazine 2022-2023

WEBB

THE WEBB SCHOOL

MAGAZINE

Strategic Plan: 2022-2023 School Year

Sustainability

WEBB

THE WEBB SCHOOL

MAGAZINE

Page 3

Note from the Head of School

Page 5

Alumni and Service Awards

Page 6

Message from the Board of Trustees Chair

Kenneth C. Cheeseman Head of School

WEBB COMMUNICATIONS EDITOR:

Rita Mitchell

Director of Communications DESIGN & LAYOUT:

Gary Marino

Strategic Plan

CONTRIBUTORS:

Leigh Adams

Director of Alumni and Development

Alyce Allen

2022

Director of Advancement Services

Dorothy Elkins

Alumni Research Assistant

Jonathon Hawkins

Associate Director of Alumni and Development

Page 7

Sustainability

Pages 10-29

Academics, Arts & Athletics

Page 30

Belles & Buckles Gala

Kristen Linton ’00

Director of Leadership Annual Giving

Justice Wenzlick

Assistant Director of the Webb Fund

2022-2023 School Year

The Webb School Magazine is published biannually in the summer and winter by The Webb School, 319 Webb Road East, Bell Buckle, Tenn. The Webb School is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization: 640401875.

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The Webb School complies with all applicable anti-discrimination laws and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin in the administration of its educational policies and programs, admissions processes, scholarship and financial aid programs, employment practices, athletic and other school administrative programs.

319 Webb Road East Bell Buckle, Tenn. 37020 1-931-389-9322

Pages 36-37 Reunion 2022

Pages 41-45

Alumni Notes & News

Pages 46-47 In Memoriam

On the cover: Class of 2023

A note from the Head of School (It is my hope you enjoy this 2022-2023 Webb magazine. As you read the stories and see the images, I want to point out that this version captures the entire school year of 2022-2023. We are returning to a summer and December timeframe for sharing Webb stories with our constituents around the globe.)

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raduation for the Class of 2023 was an extraordinary gift to all of us who were privileged to know, care for, and invest in these seniors. I arose early the day after this beautiful graduation which marked the end of our 153rd year. I watched a stunning sunrise over our beloved, bucolic campus. As I pondered the year that was, I was exceedingly grateful to be here at The Webb School. As I walked the campus that early morning, I was reminded of two truths that shaped much of our year at Webb: the current state of Webb is strong AND the future is bright, but the future is challenging in the independent school market. As you peruse this edition of our magazine, you will see elements of both truths. To ensure Webb thrives and is sustainable for our current students’ children, we need to boldly embrace a most dynamic future even as we celebrate the core values and strengths of Webb. My firm belief is Middle Tennessee, Tennessee, our country, and the world needs Webb and more schools like it that are clear hearted and clear headed about honor, integrity, character, and excellence.

Arts: Our students are being nurtured and challenged to excel and be their best. We have an outstanding Webb Company Players theater group. In the fall, they performed Mary Chase’s Pulitzerprize winning play “Harvey”, and the spring play was the poignant story of “Radium Girls”. I was so impressed with both. Additionally, we have an exceptional strings program, and students recently played for Grandparents’ Day and wowed us with their spring pops concert. We also enjoyed exceptional creations in the visual arts and pottery at Webb. Our piano and guitar students are also flourishing and entertained us in our annual Springfest, an outdoor music-food-visual art festival.

Even as we celebrate the wonder of this past year, we are taking the important next steps to plan for the security of our future.

We are developing the action steps to achieve success in our Strategic Plan 2022 four major pillars, and we are excited to begin sharing these steps with you and invite you to help us achieve these goals: 1.) Pursue Academic Excellence for the future.

2.) Promote Sustainability across all aspects of the community.

3.) Create a deeper sense of belonging by clarifying Webb’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Purpose: Ensuring space for all in our student body, 41% of whom are students of color from the U.S. or international students from 22 countries and 5 continents to work, serve, lead, belong, and be joyful.

4.) Design Overall Student Experience outside of academics to strengthen character and explore unique gifts and capacities.

Jim Callis, associate head, chaired the Strategic Plan Sustainability Committee. Read his thoughts about Webb’s work in this vital area on Page 7. We’ll discuss the other pillars in subsequent issues of the magazine.

Farrar Vaughan, first female chair of the Board of Trustees, also shares on Page 6 her excitement about the Strategic Plan and The Webb School of the future.

I am grateful for our community’s involvement in envisioning these four pillars, and the encouragement and support necessary to fuel our future success.

Ken Cheeseman Head of School

The Webb School MAGAZINE

One of the ways we measure the success of a year at Webb is to assess the three A’s: Academics, Arts, and Athletics.

Academically, our students and faculty enjoyed a very strong year.

As those who know Webb best have experienced, the magic of Webb is the rich and positive relationships between our students and our teachers that equip and empower our students to excel and be their best. There are many stories that highlight those hallmark relationships and positive outcomes. Just this semester 11 of our middle schoolers qualified for the National Science Bee that was held in Arlington, Va., in June; of those 11, three qualified for the international finals contested in Rome, Italy, in July. Three of our students were selected for Governor’s Schools in both academics and arts. Nearly 20% of the Class of 2023 have been admitted to top 50 national universities and national liberal arts colleges. Two members of the class are attending top 10 schools with one going to West Point, another headed to the University of Chicago. Eight of our Webb ladies and gentlemen have signed DI scholarships to play basketball and soccer at the next level, and three more have committed to play DIII basketball and soccer.

Athletics: Our boys and girls are using lacrosse, soccer, volleyball, football, cross country, basketball, golf, baseball, softball, tennis, trap and skeet, cheerleading, and track and field to develop and strengthen character, collaboration, determination, and grit. They are also performing at high levels. Seven of our teams reached the Elite 8 or higher in the Tennessee state championships during the last school year. Two of our girls, one basketball player and one cross country runner were named 1st team All-Americans. Most recently both our boys and girls basketball teams made it to the Final Four of the state championships with the girls winning their 3rd straight state championship. This spring our boys soccer team fought their way to the state semifinals, and our girls track team won their first state title.

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n o n c e e c R t . .

R e c e s u i n n i i te. m e R

2022-2023 School Year

October 26-28, 2023

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Make plans to come back to campus for the 2023 Alumni Reunion Weekend celebrating honored years ending in 3s and 8s h ps://www.thewebbschool.com/alumni/reunion-23

The Webb School congratulates Brian Singer ’78 and Claudia Hazelwood, recipients of 2023 Alumni and Service Awards SINGER 2023 INDUCTEE INTO DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI SOCIETY AND HAZELWOOD 2023 RECIPIENT OF JOHN B. HARDIN SERVICE AWARD This year’s inductee into the Distinguished Alumni Society epitomizes personal commitment, work ethic, and service which has resulted in significant success in his professional career.

Brian Singer ’78, CFA, is founder and co-CIO (Chief Investment Officer) of ViviFi Ventures, a private Brian Singer ’78 equity and credit portfolio manager. He was head of Dynamic Allocation Strategies group, the multi-asset and currency Portfolio Manager, member of the Risk Management Committee, and member of the Investment Management Executive Committee.

Prior to joining William Blair in 2011, he was the founder, CEO, and CIO at Singer Partners, LLC. Previously, Brian was the head of Global Investment Solutions managing more than $200 billion of multi-asset and currency portfolios, and the Americas Chief Investment Officer for UBS Global Asset Management. He was a member of the UBS Group Managing Board and Global Asset Management Executive Committee.

Brian co-wrote “Determinants of Portfolio Performance II: An Update” with Gary Brinson and Gilbert Beebower; this research serves as one of the pioneering studies on asset allocation. In 2009, Brian was the lead author of “Investment Leadership and Portfolio Management”, Wiley Publishing, and has written several finance books, book chapters, journal articles, and white papers. (continued on page 38)

First joining the Webb community as a parent in 1993, Claudia and her husband, David, served as Webb Fund Chairs, raising funds in support of school priorities, and other volunteer roles while their daughter, Whitney Brough ’99, was a student. In 2010, she returned to Webb serving as director of alumni and development and bringing a new level of professionalism to the office. She joined Webb with more than 26 years of development and alumni relations experience at Vanderbilt University.

Claudia Hazelwood

In her role as A&D director, she was responsible for conceiving and leading the comprehensive Moving Our Tradition Forward Campaign that received $11.1 million, exceeding the $10 million goal. She was also responsible for all facets of alumni relations and fundraising, including major gifts, planned giving, the Webb Fund, corporate and foundation gifts, and stewardship, among others.

Claudia has a master’s degree in teaching and a bachelor’s degree in history from Vanderbilt University. She and David previously owned and operated the Parish Patch Farm & Inn, Cortner Mill Restaurant, and Whitney Chapel in Normandy, Tenn.

As a result of a gift from Claudia and David in 2017, members of The Webb School community and visitors can imagine W.R. “Sawney” Webb on campus when they see a life-sized sculpture of the school’s founder in the Laura Woosley (continued on page 38)

The Webb School MAGAZINE

Formerly, Brian was a member of the CFA Institute Research Foundation Board of Trustees and a member and Chairman of the CFA Institute Board of Governors. He serves on the Endowment Investment Committee of the Exeter College at Oxford University and is Chairman of the Free to Choose Network, which is inspired by the ideas of economist Milton Friedman. He serves as a member of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Keystone Board.

Claudia Hazelwood has contributed an exceptional amount of time and talent to The Webb School as a parent, employee, volunteer, and loyal friend.

Her involvement continues to benefit students and enhance campus life, which are two of the primary criteria for selection as the John B. Hardin Service Award recipient.

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A message from the Board of Trustees Chair Dear Webb Community, I am excited to step into the role of Chair of The Webb School Board of Trustees. As the first woman to fill this role, I realize this is an important moment in Webb’s long history, and I consider it both an honor and privilege and feel a great responsibility to help Webb be our very best. I am a member of the class of 1995, and my son was in the class of 2018. I joined the Board in 2017 and have since served as Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, Chair of the Head of School Search Committee, and, most recently, Executive Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Prior to joining the Board of Trustees, I was Co-Chair of The Webb Fund and served as a member of the Alumni Board.

On behalf of the Webb community, I must express my sincere gratitude to our outgoing Chair, Vance Berry ’72, for his many years of loyalty and dedication to Webb. It has been an enormous privilege to work with and learn from him. Vance’s strong leadership has been invaluable to Webb, especially in guiding us through the uncertainty of the pandemic and search for a new Head of School. Vance is retiring from the Chair position, but he will remain on the Board as Chairman Emeritus. Additionally, I would like to express my tremendous appreciation for Ken Cheeseman, the school leadership team, and our outstanding faculty for their tireless work encouraging and guiding our students.

Webb continues to grow and advance because of the strength and generous support of the community. I am proud to carry on Webb’s traditions and hope that enthusiasm for our success will encourage more alumni to become involved. Webb is better equipped than ever, and we will build on that foundation to enhance our ability to meet the challenges ahead.

2022-2023 School Year

While we uphold our commitment to Webb’s core values, we will also prepare the school for further advancement.

I am committed to guiding the school’s growth by focusing on our strategic plan, which includes expanding and renovating several of our campus facilities to accommodate our growing student population and better support the school to attract and retain the most outstanding faculty. Webb will soon initiate a capital campaign, and we look forward to announcing those details soon on our website and by mail.

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The Webb School has an amazing future, and I am extremely proud to be a part of it. I am also grateful for the opportunity to serve as Board Chair and look forward to another wonderful year supporting our faculty, staff, students, and all our Webb families.

Sincerely yours,

Farrar S. Vaughan Farrar S. Vaughan ’95

Strategic Plan Pillar

Promote sustainability across all aspects of the community

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ustainability. Often, when people think about that word, the environment is what comes to mind. But as part of Webb’s Strategic Plan, the sustainability pillar is multi-dimensional.

“I’ve found it helpful to acknowledge that there are different interpretations of the term, and for Webb it is often useful to start with an analogy to describe what we mean,” said Jim Callis, associate head of school who chaired the strategic plan sustainability committee.

“Imagine that you are canoeing a river with a particular destination in mind. As you paddle, there are long stretches where the current is calm and there is time to take in the surroundings.

These peaceful moments are interrupted by stretches where the current is swift, and the waters are choppy. In these moments, it takes 100 percent of your focus to keep the canoe upright and make it through. Whether rough, calm, or somewhere in between, there is one characteristic the river never has - zero current. A river is always moving and if you stop paddling, you may get lucky with some of the calmer stretches but sooner or later, if you’re not paddling with purpose, the current will take you somewhere you don’t intend and you may to find yourself in jeopardy or worse.

So, in the context of Webb’s Strategic Plan, “sustainability” acknowledges two things at once. First, that the school exists in an environment of constant growth and change – one that requires our purposeful attention if we are to safeguard our core values while ensuring our viability. Second, we must consider multiple dimensions of sustainability not just to sustain the school for the next 5-to-10 years or more, but to cause us to flourish.”

For Webb, those sustainability decisions include financial, environmental, and cultural components.

Callis said that each school has a specific culture that’s often revealed best by spending time there. And, parts of the culture that resonate with some, may not with others. Closely identifying and studying Webb’s culture in 2023, can help discern what decisions can be made that will help sustain that culture and cause it to flourish. An impetus to focus on cultural sustainability, stems from Webb’s growth and increasingly diverse community.

“There’s an organic sharing of culture that happens in our classrooms, dorms, dining hall, athletic venues and elsewhere.

We have paid attention to that cultural mix and leveraged it to promote the school’s flourishing. But as our student body becomes increasingly more global, we want to continue to educate ourselves about how we acknowledge diverse cultures while creating community. The better we understand our students and their backgrounds, the better we can support them to get the most from their Webb experience and help Webb thrive.”

Environmental factors are also part of Webb’s sustainability pillar.

“The pastoral beauty of our campus is unrivaled, but there are things we must be doing in terms of recycling and managing our carbon footprint that will lead to environmental sustainability. Our rural location has an undeniable appeal, but it makes it difficult - in reality, prohibitive - to contract with vendor partners in the environmental field that have resources to service our relatively remote campus. This reality can make achieving even simple environment goals like recycling, unusually challenging.

“There is certainly no lack of desire on the part of students, faculty, or staff to better steward our environmental resources, but we must overcome geographic and economic impediments. We can care about recycling all we want and have adults and students in full strength to support it, but without a recycling company partner, we will struggle to make meaningful progress. This reality compels us to exert more creative effort in the search for solutions. By definition, environmental stewardship is a long-term activity which is why it occupies a prominent place in our strategic plan.”

Callis touched on other environmental facets including those related to campus facilities “We have a number of buildings on campus ranging in age from more than 100 years old to less than 10 years. Most of these facilities would benefit from strategic improvements to increase energy efficiency. There is a lot of easy work – not necessarily easy in terms of cost – but in terms of clearly identifiable projects we can undertake during renovations or new construction with respect to material selection, insulation, lighting, and HVAC systems that will drastically improve our energy consumption and make our spaces more accommodating.”

As Webb works through its sustainability pillar, Callis said that benchmarks will be used to quantify progress toward financial and environmental goals. The cultural facet will require a qualitative approach using surveys and other information that can be converted to quantitative data for study and action.

Callis shared, “Financial, environmental, and cultural -- I think our strategic focus on these three dimensions of sustainability will lead Webb beyond success, important as that is. It will lead to our flourishing and ensure the school’s viability for our children’s children. That is the ultimate goal.” c

The Webb School MAGAZINE

For the school year just ended, in addition to domestic students, Webb’s enrollment included a student body from 22 countries on five continents. “We have more backgrounds, more preferences, more experiences all coming together in perhaps greater numbers than ever before. This rich diversity of culture and geography is one of Webb’s strong assets. It benefits students, faculty, staff, and promotes sustainability,” said Callis.

Likewise, financial sustainability is an important facet. “Though we are a not-for-profit, we are not insulated from economic pressures such as inflation and labor scarcity, which are largely outside our control.” Callis added, “As we respond to economic realities, a financially sustainable perspective compels us to prioritize delivery of our mission, and the most important resource in mission delivery is people. We’re in the people business – they are both our product and our purpose. We accomplish our work through expert faculty, and our strategic financial plans must acknowledge this reality.” He noted that the school has already begun allocating additional resources for faculty and staff, a process that will take several years to reach Webb’s goal.

(Other pillars will be discussed in subsequent issues of the magazine.)

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rd 53 70 graduate in 1 commencement

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eventy seniors in the Class of 2023 graduated during the 153rd commencement ceremony on May 27.

Family and friends joined faculty and staff in honoring the class. Katherine Foutch Layman, a 2003 Webb graduate, was the guest speaker.

Graduation was preceded by Baccalaureate with speaker, Adam Feldbruegge, former Webb science teacher, coach for multiple sports, residential life staff member, and during his final year, science department chair. Also participating in baccalaureate were Jim Callis, associate head, offering the opening prayer, and Alisyn Parfait, Honor Council vice president, who read Psalm 1.

Adam Feldbruegge

Following the commencement processional, Dr. Tabetha Sullens ’94 gave the invocation, and Head of School Ken Cheeseman welcomed those attending. He was joined on stage by James I. Vance Berry ’72, Board of Trustees Chairman Emeritus. He also recognized other trustees in the audience, Dr. Matt Layman ’03, Evan Cope ’94 and Webb Follin III ’73. Music for baccalaureate and commencement was directed and provided by Janet Linton, Fine Arts Department chair, Susan Mullen, string instructor and string orchestra director, and the string ensemble.

2022-2023 School Year

Addressing the parents, Cheeseman said, “As your child’s head of school, I am very grateful to you and for you. You have given us a gift by allowing us to know, love, teach, coach, advise, and mentor your children. We are particularly grateful to you for your support and confidence in us as we led your children and you through some very trying times the last three years. We could not be Ken Cheeseman here having achieved as much as we have without your support, so thank you.”

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Focusing on the Class of 2023, Cheeseman said, “You are a medley of talents, skills, passions, and paths forward. We celebrate your accomplishments, are grateful for the journey we shared with you, and have great hope for your future.” Noting that members of the class worked hard to reach their academic goals, and have also been leaders in the classrooms, on the courts, and on the stage, he recognized individual highlights.

Cheeseman introduced the guest speaker saying, “Mrs. Layman is a 2003 graduate of The Webb School. She earned a B.S. from Vanderbilt University, and a J. D. from the University of Kentucky.

She serves as a corporate attorney in Murfreesboro. In her free time, she continues to live out the Enduring Understandings at Webb by serving her local community. Currently, she volunteers

Katherine Layman ’03

with the Charity Circle of Murfreesboro, Murfreesboro City Schools Foundation Board, The Webb School Alumni Board, Junior League of Murfreesboro, and serves as a Saint Thomas Ascension Ambassador.” To read Katherine Layman’s remarks, visit: www. thewebbschool.com/about/school-news - May 27, 2023, post.

Also, during the ceremony, Cheeseman announced English teacher Samantha Rose as recipient of the 2023 David Newton McQuiddy Award that honors a teacher who has integrity, is loyal to Webb and its ideals, is dedicated to the profession, and who encourages sound character development and academic excellence. The recipient of the award is selected by a vote of the student body. Rose joined Webb full-time in 2020. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Tennessee Tech and a Master of Arts in British and American Literature from the University of the South. “She has worked with middle school students and seniors … she is an exceptional teacher,” Cheeseman said, noting Rose’s other roles.

The Head of School’s Award, funded by the J Murray Hill ’75 Endowment, was announced. It is to be given by the Head of School to fund any appropriate annual expense. This year, it provided a portable AED package for the athletics trainer and a permanent AED stationed at Lagler Field. “We are very grateful for Mr. Hill’s gift,” Cheeseman acknowledged.

Abigail “Abby” Hagan

Anna Landis Hightower Award

student with the highest grade-point average for four years at Webb

John Hardin Highest Scholastic Award

student who achieved the highest scholastic average in his/her senior year

Webb Follin Award in memory of Gerald Webb Follin senior with the highest cumulative English grade average

The Shelvin Brooks Bigger Award

to recognize outstanding achievement in the study of science

John Lewis Morgan Award

senior who has a high standard of excellence in his or her academic work and who has demonstrated the highest qualities of good citizenship in the service of the school

Samantha Rose and Ken Cheeseman

Vance Berry '72

Ancient Guard

Abigail Hagan was selected by seniors to deliver the Student Address during the commencement ceremony. In introducing her, Cheeseman said, “This year, the student speaker serves as the captain of the girls soccer team, she is a devoted member of Green Feet, and enjoys Wilderness Instruction and Leadership Development (WILD) trips and running. She was elected “Miss Webb” as her senior superlative. She is an ancient guard member of the senior class (students who have attended Webb since the sixth or seventh grade), serves our community by upholding the pillars of the Honor Council, and is a McDonnell-Follin Scholar.

She followed up on her Scholar project on native plants last year by planning, planting (with the help of Green Feet) and gaining Tennessee Smart Yard designation for a native plant garden outside of the Bradley Building.”

String Orchestra

(For more awards and photos, Katherine Layman’s remarks and a list of graduates, visit: www.thewebbschool.com/about/school-news – May 27, 2023, post.)

The Webb School MAGAZINE

Following Hagan’s remarks and the presentation of Bibles and Graduation Certificates, Cheeseman closed, “To the class of 2023, you will leave Webb, your second home, to embrace new endeavors. … We hope each you will return often to Webb and share your celebrations with us and support the work we do for the next generation of Webbies. Webb will always be your home. Wherever you go, remember that you are a Webb lady or gentleman. That honor comes with the great responsibility of living your life with integrity, character, and service to others.

These lessons are lifelong; you carry these with you in college and in organizations later in life. Lead a purposeful life, be a servant leader, and always be kind. Godspeed to you all.” c

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Academics, Arts & Athletics Webb’s Outdoor Program helped lead Sublette to West Point

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At least 30 WILD trips More than 60 nights in the woods Multiple 5-day canoe trips down the Santa Fe River in Florida Several 4-day backpacking trips to Cumberland Island

hen Carter Sublette accompanied his Class of 2023 on the Webb tradition -- Senior Survival -- he was a seasoned veteran of the outdoors because of Webb’s Outdoor Program. He also knows that the program is part of what led him to West Point.

Sublette, a Chapel Hill, Tenn., resident, who enrolled at Webb as a seventh grader, took every advantage of Webb’s Outdoor Program and WILD (Wilderness Instruction and Leadership Development) trips beginning in eighth grade -- with a canoe trip in Florida. His favorite WILD adventure was a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters. For shorter treks, he always liked canoeing the Buffalo River in Arkansas.

He explained that WILD trips are “about what you’d expect – exploring nature with friends and getting away from civilization.”

Early on he knew little about the outdoors and recalls one of the best things was “students showing up with nothing but a duffle bag.” The Webb Trail Room was always stocked with tents and other camping gear, sleeping bags, backpacks, canoes, kayaks,

A 14-day canoe trip in the Boundary Waters of Canada Caving Rock climbing More than 140 miles hiked on the Appalachian Trail

and safety equipment. “Mr. (Joe) Griggs ’05, Webb’s Outdoor Program director, is not constantly telling you what to do. You learn through trial and error. He’s the safety net, but you get to try all these cool things you’ve never tried before and learn how to do them yourself.”

This year, Sublette and several friends went backpacking on their own during spring break. “WILD has led us up to being able to lead our own trips. We’ve done this so many times.”

The 2023 graduate received appointments from U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee and was accepted to enter West Point this fall. He is quick to credit WILD for part of his interest in pursuing acceptance to the U.S. Military Academy. Citing an enjoyment in spending time in the outdoors and overcoming some of the physical challenges is “one of the primary reasons I wanted to go to West Point. It’s a great college, but you have all of these awesome military and outdoor experiences in addition to the academics at the same time.” (continued on page 38)

Florida, Smith, Sullens accepted to Governor’s Schools

2022-2023 School Year

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hree Webb students were accepted to Tennessee Governor’s Schools slated for summer. Siena Smith ’24 of Shelbyville attended the Tennessee Governor’s School for Science and Engineering. It was hosted on the campus of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. GSSE is described as a “four-week on-campus residential program that provides the opportunity for advanced study, laboratory experience, research in modern science and mathematics, and an immersive college experience.” London Sullens Siena Smith ’24 ’24 of McMinnville and Anne Marie Florida ’25 of Murfreesboro attended the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University. Sullens was selected from more than 650 applicants as a violist for the 2023 Governor’s School Orchestra. Florida learned in a formal and professional setting about all aspects of theatre at

London Sullens ’24

Anne Marie Florida ’25

MTSU. The website notes that Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts “exists to provide high-quality arts education for gifted and talented high school students in the state of Tennessee.

Students are selected in competitive auditions.” c

Parfait set sights on college as youngster --preparation, diligence reap rewards

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t may be hard to imagine that a student started planning for college in elementary school, but that is exactly what Alisyn Parfait did.

Christian Academy. During fourth through eighth grade, she was homeschooled, completing extensive tutorials in all the core and other appropriate subject matter. “I did a lot of work through the programs on my own.” She also attended the Nashville Latin School.

Eight years later, she has reached her goal — heading to the University of Chicago.

The Webb graduate will attend the University of Chicago with a full four-year scholarship.

Questbridge National College Match will also aid in her college expenses, along with two additional scholarships from Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and Gates Foundation, “both gap or last-dollar scholarships” funding additional expenses during the four years.

Before her ninth-grade year, she was accepted into the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program. The foundationʼs website notes that the “scholarship programs are designed to encourage and support outstanding students who work hard and have financial need.” Included are scholarships for high school, undergraduate and graduate levels.

She said that Questbridge and the two foundations, “provide the three biggest high school scholarships. I feel so lucky, and Iʼm really excited. Iʼve been planning for college since fourth grade — making sure I was taking the right classes, studying the college format. All my efforts have been very focused.”

A native of Oklahoma and member of the Kaw Nation, Parfait moved from Broken Arrow with her family first to Murfreesboro, Tenn., when she was seven, where she attended an area private school, and then to Lebanon, where she attended Heritage

Once in the Young Scholars Program, it was suggested that she should attend The Webb School. Parfait stayed on course at Webb with her college preparation, but added, “because I used middle school to plan my entire life, I used high school to find my way. I feel like all the hard work has finally paid off. Itʼs very rewarding.”

Before she enrolled at Webb, she was one of the first students to complete the Notre Dame ND Ignite Program and for a long time, wanted to attend Notre Dame. Through the years, she considered Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, Swarthmore College, and University of Chicago. She also contemplated several majors --- global studies with a dual bachelor’s and master’s program for international relations with a minor in French, biomedical engineering, and political science. (continued on page 38)

153rd Senior Class continues Blazer Day Tradition

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embers of the Class of 2023 continued a long-standing tradition participating in Senior Blazer Day. In November, the South’s oldest, continuously operating boarding school hosted the ceremony, and seniors received their Webb blazers. Clint Hall, a 1998 graduate and an alumni board member, was the guest speaker.

For the full story and photo gallery, please visit: https://www.thewebbschool.com/about/school-news Nov. 11, 2022 post.

The Webb School MAGAZINE

“It is my hope, the hope of this entire faculty and staff that in receiving the blazer, you will redouble your commitment to the

pursuit of wisdom necessary to lead your generation, here and far beyond our borders, toward justice, mercy, and truth -- an intentional commitment to make the world and your sphere of influence a better place than when you entered it,” said Ken Cheeseman, in his third year as head of school. c

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Nash, 4th-year McDonnell-Follin Scholar, studies genetics

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unior Cy Nash, the 2022-2023 McDonnell-Follin Scholar, presented in chapel, capping an independent study project that is the hallmark of the program supported by an endowment.

Cy Nash and Jim McDonnell III ’68 The program provides for an in-depth study of a particular academic area by a student for one semester, supported by a member of the faculty or administration. Scholars earn course credit for their work.

The program was created to honor Jim McDonnell Jr. ’43. At its inception, McDonnell explained that while he was at Webb in the 1940s, it was Webb Follin Sr. (class of 1908), who taught him so much and made an indelible mark on his career -- the best educator he ever experienced. That bond made the difference, and McDonnell suggested creating a program to encourage academic collaboration among teachers and students today.

McDonnell was elected to the Webb board of trustees in 1957 and served as chair from 1967-1988, tenured longer than any other chair to date. He was named chairman emeritus and a member of the Distinguished Alumni Society in 1993.

Hawkins, A&D associate director. His father, Jim McDonnell ’43 and namesake of the program, was unable to attend.

Nash chose the study of five genetic diseases as the focus for her spring semester McDonnell-Follin Scholars Program. She was assisted by Pamela Seals, science department chair and teacher.

“I have always had a love for science, even before coming to Webb. My first science class at Webb was 7th grade Life Science, and it was in this class that I first learned about genetics,” said Nash. “I was specifically very interested in how different diseases are inherited. My passion for genetics has grown since 7th grade, having had freshman Biology and my current AP Biology class.

This sparked my aspirations to apply for the McDonnell-Follin Scholars Program to further my knowledge around this subject.”

Specifically, this year’s recipient studied cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s Disease, bipolar disorder, Sickle Cell Anemia and Down Syndrome. Throughout the program, Nash studied the diseases’ research, prevention, symptoms, clinical trials, and treatments and wrote papers for each one. She also created a website to chronicle her progress. c To read more about Cy Nash’s in-depth study visit: https://www.thewebbschool.com/about/school-news May 8, 2023, Post

Jim McDonnell III ’68 attended Nash’s chapel presentation, toured campus, and visited with Ken Cheeseman, head of school, Leigh Adams, director of alumni and development, and Jonathon

Students, faculty member inducted into Cum Laude Society

2022-2023 School Year

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eniors and juniors were inducted into the Cum Laude Society Webb Chapter during a chapel ceremony in May. Seniors inducted included Quan Nguyen, Nataja Siva, Autumn Swanson, Irelyn Weaver, and Lucy Wilson who joined seniors Carley Byford, Carter Sublette, Abby Hagan, David Tran, Jack Zhong, Daisy Wang, Alisyn Parfait, Victor Shen, and Bailey Brock, who were inducted last year. Juniors included this year were Jaycie Bateman, MaryMargaret Mayfield, Cooper Medling, Leo Qi, and Siena Smith. Also inducted was Kevin Finn, English Department Chair. Webb Cum Laude Society additional faculty and staff members are Dr. Andrew Stimpson ’99 (President), Mallory Garcia (Secretary), Henry Brooks, and Kristen Linton ’00. c

Senior Symposium caps Emerging Voices signature program

11 qualify for National Science Bee

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ebb continued a tradition by presenting the 2023 Senior Symposium, featuring the Senior Capstone Projects -- the final presentation of the school’s Emerging Voices signature program.

As part of the project, seniors are encouraged to “Find Your Voice, and Use Your Voice!”

They examine a specific, preferably local, or communityrelated, issue. Then they develop a practical, viable solution for addressing the issue to create change within the community.

This year’s Senior Symposium was scheduled for three days in April, with seven concurrent sessions each day across campus. c

Regionals Participants

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leven of 22 middle school students competing at regionals qualified for the National Science Bee held in Arlington, Va., in June and of those 11, three qualified for the international finals contested in Rome, Italy, in July. c To read more about the National Science Bee, visit: https://www.thewebbschool.com/about/school-news Feb. 15, 2023 post

Webb volunteers

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Burrahm’s eighth grade history classes translated a recent class assignment reading “A Long Walk to Water” into a service project for students at Tusculum Elementary School in Nolensville, Tenn.

Jesseca Glover ’09 teaches at the school. Several Webb students volunteered at Second Harvest Food Bank in Nashville. The group helped to put together nearly 2,000 meal bags to be distributed throughout the Middle Tennessee area. c

8th Grade History Project

Second Harvest Volunteers

The Webb School MAGAZINE

mong numerous service projects throughout the school year, the fourth annual Webb World Wide Interact Club Christmas initiative continued as club members took their holiday spirit to Eastside Elementary School, in Shelbyville, Tenn. Twentyfour club members and other student volunteers organized and carried out a special time of Christmas fun, gifts and holiday treats for kindergarteners and first graders. Students in Casey

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Arellano WSPA Faculty Enrichment Award recipient

Endowed Travel Scholarship takes Byford to France

osie Arellano, a Spanish teacher in the World Languages Department, was recognized by The Webb School Parents’ Association with the 2022 WSPA Faculty Enrichment Award. The award is presented annually to an outstanding member of the teaching faculty who has taught at Webb for at least three years.

Students and families cast votes to select the recipient. Arellano is in her 19th year in education and fifth year at Webb. “It is truly an honor to be a recipient of such an award,” said Arellano, who thanked WSPA, her family, and colleagues. “I feel blessed and honored to work at this institution with such a great group of educators.” c

arley Byford ’23 traveled to France with a Webb group during spring break as the recipient of the 20222023 Johnson-Fort Endowed Travel Scholarship for the school year. Donor John F. “Jeff” Whorley ’79 established the scholarship in 2017. At the time, Whorley noted that he believes strongly in the educational benefits of international travel and endowed this fund to support a student towards a Webb-sponsored international trip. In establishing the scholarship, Whorley chose to honor two of his teachers, Alsey Johnson and Joyce Fort, whose impact inspired him. Johnson taught English and French in the mid-1970s, and his three children, Jane ’74, John ’75 and Julia ’77, are Webb graduates. Fort taught foreign language in the 1970s, and her children, Norma ’79, Joel ’83 and Vernon ’83, also attended Webb. c

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Ellis accepted to attend National Youth Leadership Forum

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iden Ellis, a ninth grader, joined the ranks of previous Webb students who have been accepted to attend a National Youth Leadership Forum during the summer. Ellis, a Murfreesboro resident, was selected for the 2023 NYLF: Law & CSI slated for this summer in Washington, D.C. The forum website notes that students can “choose a legal or crime scene investigation track during the program, which will allow them to explore the world of law and CSI” and “will cover the entire judicial process in-depth; from the discovery of a crime, through collecting and analyzing all of the evidence, to preparing for the courtroom process and taking part in the criminal trial.” c

2022-2023 School Year

Judge wins MS Geography Bee

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ixth grader Jasmine Judge of Shelbyville won the annual middle school Geography Bee in spring. The event was organized by Andrew McRady ’86, geography teacher and history faculty member. Judge placed first, seventh grader Gunnar Melson of Estill Springs was second, and sixth grader Eleanor Loose of Bell Buckle placed third.

The questions included many different areas of geography: locations, state trivia, international trivia, animals, forces of nature, and world history. c

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Earth Literacy Center about sustainability, gratitude

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earning about living sustainably, discussing relevant philosophical ideas, and expressing gratitude were some of the opportunities that 11 students in Webb’s AP Environmental Science class experienced during the school year. The group visited Narrow Ridge Earth Literacy Center in Washburn, Tenn., on a two-night field trip. “We have been going to Narrow Ridge Earth Literacy Center for several years now to show students how individuals live sustainably in our environment,” said Pamela Seals, Science Department chair and class teacher. “The leaders show students how they can use the resources available to us in the world with more of a focus on balance. Seeing the techniques first-hand can be incredibly impactful for the students.” c

Brooks Senior Luncheon speaker

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embers of the Class of 2023 were guests at the annual Senior Luncheon on May 18 in the Bond Library. The event, hosted by the Office of Alumni and Development and Alumni Association, was attended by several members of the Alumni Board, Head of School Ken Cheeseman, leadership team members and advisors to the senior class.

Alumni Board President Hudson Byrd ’05 and Director of Alumni and Development Leigh Adams welcomed guests and introduced members of the Alumni Board attending including Clint Hall ’98, Scout Turner ’12, as well as members of the A&D staff. Turner gave the charge and welcome into the Alumni Association. Henry Brooks, Webb physics teacher, was selected by the senior class to be their guest speaker. c

MS Book Awards Ceremony and 8th Grade Graduation Members of the Class of 2023 continued the Senior Survival tradition spending May 20-26 hiking a portion of the Appalachian Trail before graduating on May 27. Among those joining Joe Griggs ’05, outdoor program director, were other alumni, Kristen Linton ’00, Diana Skordallos ’13, and Travis Townes ’15. The students were divided into groups of 8-10 with two group leaders.

Mock Trial team gains experience

he Mock Trial team participated in its annual district competition at the Williamson County courthouse in February.

“Although Webb didn’t reach the final round, the team received glowing comments from judges and a Best Witness award for Winston Dugdale, who portrayed the roles of the plaintiff and also a defense witness,” said Jason Simpson, World Languages department chair/teacher. Simpson co-advises the team with Dr. Christopher Candy, History Department chair/teacher. In addition to Winston Dugdale, others on the competition team included: lawyers - Serik Bilbro, Olivia Dugdale and Maddie Smith and witnesses on the competition team - Aiden Ellis, Iris Lin, London Sullens and Abigail Voorhes-Fontenot. c

iddle School students, family and friends came together for a book awards ceremony and 8th grade graduation on May 19. The evening included the presentation of traditional and special awards, announcement of the declamation contest winners and graduation of the 38 eighth grade students. Eighth grade graduates received certificates and pins to add to their senior blazers in four years.

For the MS Awards Ceremony and Eighth Grade Graduation awards, video and photos, visit: https://www.thewebbschool.com/about/ school-news May 21, 2023, post. c

The Webb School MAGAZINE

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US Book Awards Ceremony

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pper school students were presented class book awards and special awards by faculty and staff during the annual Book Awards Ceremony in May. Students inducted into the Alla Webb Honor Society also received cords to wear at commencement. c For the ceremony awards, video and photos, visit: https://www.thewebbschool.com/about/school-news May 18, 2023, post.

Sepetys, New York Times bestselling author, Follin Speaker

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uta Sepetys, an internationally acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction, was featured in the Follin Speaker Series in May. Sepetys made her second appearance as part of the school’s endowed speaker series.

2022-2023 School Year

The award-winning author spoke in the upper school chapel about her newest book I Must Betray You, which was released in paperback in May. She discussed her recent research and travels.

Some Webb students read Sepetys’ Salt to the Sea and Fountains of Silence.

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The middle school chapel included sharing about the upcoming book You: The Story: A Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory. The book was also released in May and is described on her website as “a powerful how-to book for aspiring writers that presents basic elements of story construction while encouraging you to look inward to discover how memory can fuel creativity and connection.” A Q&A about You: The Story was also included as part of the author’s visit to Webb. c To read more about Sepetys, visit: https://www.thewebbschool.com/about/school-news April 27, 2023, post.

Webb’s diversity showcased

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tudents from 22 countries, five continents, 12 states, and cities throughout Tennessee, along with faculty and staff from across the U.S. and beyond, make for an interesting Webb community. A special time is designated each year to share information about cultures with students, faculty and staff participating. Diversity Week 2023 included several events on campus. Also celebrated with special events, speakers, advisory activities and more were Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Women’s History Month and Lunar New Year. c

Clarke wins MS Spelling Bee

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ighth grader Sarai Clarke won the Middle School Spelling Bee in spring with sixth graders, Mackenzie Watkins placing second and Nyana Piepenbrink placing third. The last three words of the competition were amplify, juncture and vacancy. c

The College Board’s National Merit Program has recognized the following students: Abigail Hagan, David Tran, Bailey Brock, Carley Byford, Kenneth Hou, Alisyn Parfait, Beatrix Shealy, Nataja Siva, Carter Sublette, Irelyn Weaver and Hayuan Zhong.

National Merit Recognition Abigail Hagan - Commended Scholar David Tran - Commended Scholar

Students “break away” for outdoor, class and travel-study trips

Virgin Falls State Natural Area

Fall Break-Joyce Kilmer

OUTDOOR PROGRAM TRIPS

Webb continued the tradition of the Wilderness Instruction and Leadership Development (WILD) fall break, Winter Freeze and spring break trips, traveling to locations for backpacking and canoeing. Henry Brooks and Buck Smith, faculty members, led a trip to Joyce Kilmer. Another group had a three-day canoeing trip on the Buffalo River. Leading was Joe Griggs ’05, WILD director, assisted by Risa Brown, Webb nurse. Virgin Falls State Natural Area was the Winter Freeze destination for a trip led by Griggs

Buffalo River near Hohenwald

and Justice Wenzlick, Alumni and Development staff member.

Spring break was a 5-day canoe trip on Suwanee River in Florida led by Mike Quinn and Risa Brown.

A host of other weekend and day trips were scheduled throughout the school year. WILD combines the classroom with the outdoors.

Activities such as camping, canoeing, backpacking, rock climbing and others teach skills needed to participate in and to lead trips into the wilderness.

10TH GRADE TRIP TO CHATTANOOGA

TRAVEL-STUDY TO FRANCE

Homestays and touring were highlights of a spring break travel-study program in France led by Jason Simpson, World Languages Department chair.

Middle school students traveled to Charleston, S.C., for the annual school trip and enjoyed the weekend filled with sightseeing and other activities. Dr. Tabetha Sullens ’94, assistant head, and other faculty members led the trip.

“The trip to Charleston taught me different sides and facts of our history and how they affect us now,” said Joanna Powers. “This trip also helped me bond with friends, taught me new life lessons and overall helped me grow

as a person.” Eamon Norris added, “The middle school trip to Charleston was both fun and educational. I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to go and learn so much in just three days, and hope future classes get the same opportunity.”

The itinerary included a tour of Charles Towne Landing, a tour at the Old Exchange Building, an Ecology Barrier Island Cruise and cookout, and Boone Hall Plantation complete with a Beyond the Big House Tour and Gala Show. They also visited Patriot’s Point and the USS Yorktown, USS Latterly, toured the Vietnam Experience, Medal of Honor Museum, and visited Fort Sumter as special points of interest.

The Webb School MAGAZINE

MS TRIP TO CHARLESTON

10th graders enjoyed a November class trip to Chattanooga and Camp ToknowHim in northern Alabama. While overnight at Camp ToknowHim, students slept in cabins and participated in a variety of games and other activities. In Chattanooga, they toured the Tennessee Aquarium and visited downtown stores before returning to campus.

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Instrumentalists, actors, artists celebrated during Fine Arts Week The Fine Arts Department celebrated student artists in October during Fine Arts Week. Featured were daily performances of Webb’s instrumentalists and actors along with pottery and art displays.

Art students created posters for Fine Arts Week and Webbstock, an annual fall concert. Also included were Pianists Leo Qi and Jack Zhong performing works by Claude Debussy in chapel, a primitive firing technique of pottery students’ vases and urns and an outdoor guitar, ukulele, and Webbstock Concert.

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2022-2023 School Year

he String Orchestra fall concert in October during Fine Arts Week featured all classes performing fun “Halloweeny” pieces. A reception followed the concert. The 6th grade also performed during the special week. c

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A scene from “Harvey” by Mary Chase, The Webb Company Players’ fall production, concluded the week.

MTSU Honors Orchestra

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ix students were selected to play in a MTSU Honors Orchestra concert in November. Included were Bailey Brock, Carley Byford, Chenyu Fang, London Sullens, Jack Holland, and David Tran. c

Jack Holland ’23, cellist, performed in chapel during the year along with pianists, Leo Qi ’23 and Jack Zhong ’23.

Orchestra students, parents enjoy symphony performance

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rchestra students and parents enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon attending the Nashville Symphony with Susan Mullen, string orchestra director. Concert-goers enjoyed watching the classic 1984 film “Ghostbusters” on a huge screen while listening to the Nashville Symphony play the score to the movie throughout.

The Schermerhorn Symphony Center is located in the heart of downtown Nashville. c

Students selected for Mid-State orchestra wo Webb School string orchestra students were accepted into Tennessee’s Mid-State Orchestra.

Thomas Wang, an 8th grade student, and Jackson Elfersy, a 7th grader, were both accepted. This annual event provides talented students the opportunity to pursue and expand their studies outside of school under the batons of well-known conductors with many other hard-working and motivated musicians. c

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ili Walton '23, was recognized as part of the 32nd Annual Middle Tennessee Scholastic Art Awards.

Walton submitted two works and received a Silver Key Award and an Honorable Mention. The Silver Key Award was presented for her comic art titled “The Lynx, the Sun, and The Man.” Her sculpture titled “Comic Studio” received an Honorable Mention.

“Mili Walton has an enormous amount of talent. Throughout her time at Webb, she has completed nine different art classes and excelled in all of them,” said Michael Stem, Webb pottery teacher. “Her current work explores how lives are intertwined through the exciting and mundane, and the underlying complexities our lives have under the surface level most often seen. Mili combines her mature conceptualizations with her undeniable artistic talent to give her audience thought-provoking and visually-stunning artwork.” c

Spring Fest

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pring Fest, a yearly concert series performed and hosted by the Fine Arts and Student Life departments continued this year. The music began in the chapel with strings and piano students performing pieces by Bach. Next, the middle school music classes performed an outdoor concert adjacent to the Lundin Fine Arts Center. The 6th graders played country and blues classics and hits. The 7th graders performed a variety of rock songs from three decades, the 70s, 80s and 90s.

Following, the Student Council hosted a talent show for upper school students. An outdoor cookout-style dinner was served by Sage Dining for the event. c

The Webb School MAGAZINE

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Walton receives Middle Tennessee Art awards

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Service of Lessons and Carols continues Webb tradition

Holiday Concerts

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elections from “The Nutcracker”, sounds of sleigh rides, snow falling, the “Ukrainian Bell Carol” and more were presented by all the strings classes at the String Orchestra Holiday Concert in December in the chapel. The 6th grade entertained family and friends with a special concert in the Bond Library. c

ore than 45 Webb students, faculty, staff, and alumni participated in the 2022 Service of Lessons and Carols, an annual tradition that was presented on Dec. 8 in the chapel. The annual service of Lessons and Carols included performances

by The Webb School Choir and String Orchestra, as well as the traditional reading of nine Bible passages by members of the Webb faculty and staff. Lessons and Carols was directed and coordinated by Raymond Pryor, director of technology; Janet Linton, Fine Arts Department chair; and Susan Mullen, orchestra director. c

2022-2023 School Year

String orchestras give final concert, seniors honored

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he String Orchestras spring concert offered performances of “Dance of Fire”, “Fun with the Classics”, “Pirates of the Caribbean” main theme, “Legends of Glory”, “See you Again”, and Themes from “Romeo and Juliet” among other selections.

The spring concert is also a time for senior recognition. Those honored included Jackson Holland, Carley Byford, David Tran, Bailey Brock, Aaron Kiser and Nataja Siva. c

Webb Company Players present “Harvey” and “Radium Girls”

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he Webb School Company Players presented “Harvey” by Mary Chase in the Black Box Theater in the Lundin Fine Arts Center in November and “Radium Girls” by D.W. Gregory on the chapel stage in March.

Theatre director is Ruth Cordell, Webb’s speech and theatre teacher, and script supervisor and associate director is Maryanna Walton. Tech director is Adam Dinsmore. c

Parents’ Weekend

Webb hosts Grandparents’ Day in March

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randparents of Webb students were guests on campus March 24 for Grandparents’ Day – the first to be hosted in person since 2019. More than 150 attended. The event began with registration and coffee and refreshments in the Alumni Center.

Grandparents attended two classes with their grandchildren and also chapel, where a special program was presented.

Lunch was provided to conclude the event, and spring break began. c

The Webb School MAGAZINE

ebb parents had a variety of activities to enjoy during the annual Parents’ Weekend in September. They had the opportunity to attend classes with their children during the morning, hear a Young Alumni panel discussion and see a special fine arts program.

They also could meet with the school’s college counseling staff and have conferences with their children’s advisors.

Friday also included lunch with their children and a football game. On Saturday, virtual advisory conferences were available for parents who could not attend Parents’ Weekend in person. c

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Kiser receives first award created in her honor

Monthly awards honor students in academics, arts, and athletics Three students each month, August-April, are selected as Scholar, Artist, and Student Athlete of the Month. They are honored in chapel with the monthly awards for their work in academics, arts, and athletics and other criteria.

The May honorees will be recognized in August.

Melanie Kiser, center, with Assistant Head of School Dr. Tabetha Sullens ’94, left, Carrie Brooke Simmons, Caroline Hulan Smith ’98, Gina Reeves, and Ginger Shofner.

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he Webb School Parents’ Association created a new honor, and it was presented by WSPA President Ginger Shofner during the group’s annual general meeting in May. The Melanie Kiser Volunteer of the Year Award was presented for the first time to the award’s namesake – Melanie Kiser. The plaque noted that it is “an annual award recognizing outstanding volunteer service to WSPA named in honor of Melanie Kiser, mother to Webb graduates, Austen – ’11, Marina ’13, Clarice ’18, and Aaron ’23.”

“Melanie’s eldest child Austen started Webb in 2005. Serving in several officer positions in both WSPA and PAWS, Melanie, a former WSPA president, is the epitome of a selfless servant, so much so that the award is named in her honor,” said Shofner during the presentation. “She leaves Webb as a parent upon the graduation of her youngest, Aaron. For 18 years this force of nature with a gentle and generous spirit has been giving her time, talents, encouragement, and advice to Webb. She has been a true friend to our current officers and is always willing to share her knowledge of WSPA while also working right beside us, including this year assisting with Snack Depot, Thankfulness Baskets, and coordinating our auction operations for the Belles & Buckles Gala.

Congratulations to Melanie; thank you for all you have done. We will miss you!” c

2022-2023 School Year

Bird joins SACAC Board

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risten Bird, college counseling assistant director, was recently appointed as a member of the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling Board. She is one of 26 board members who will serve a three-year term.

Bird has been a member of SACAC since 2018.

Bird said her involvement and board service will benefit Webb, because the admissions world is heavily relationship-based. “SACAC allows me to continue building relationships and my network, keeping me updated on current trends and issues. Being knowledgeable in this way is essential for me to serve our students at Webb best.” c

Students honored during the 2022-2023 school year as Scholar, Artist and Student Athlete included the following: August - Macy Simon, Mili Walton, Bella Griff y; September – Carter Sublette, Winston Dugdale, Carley Byford; October – Ami Calhoun, Bailey Brock, Gage LeMaster; November – Abigail Voorhes-Fontenot, Scout Harding, Angelica Velez; December – Mili Walton, Aspen Northcutt, Abby Faith Cheeseman; January – India Shirley, Leo Qi, Charlotte Carkuff; February – Taveon Comage, Ami Calhoun, Irelyn Weaver; March – Bob Yan, Mili Walton, Victor Shen; April – Jaycie Bateman, Josephin Oelgarth, and Christopher Douglas.

Service Awards presented to faculty and staff Several faculty and staff members were recognized for years of service to Webb at a recent end-of-year event in the Bond Library on campus that included a social time, dinner, recognitions and entertainment by faculty members, Susan Mullen and Drew Creal.

Awards were presented at the annual event by Ken Cheeseman, head of school. Those recognized for the 2022-2023 school year and their number of service years included: five years – Rosie Arellano, Shelby Lamb, Maryanna Walton, Risa Brown, Chadd Bridwell, Michael Stem and Cheryl Khan; 10 – Mallory Garcia; 15 – Adam Morgan and Susan Mullen.

Susan Mullen and Ken Cheeseman

Homecoming King and Queen

Zethan Atwood and Carley Byford

Student Champions TEAM All-American ALL-AMERICAN 1st1ST Team

Abby Faith Cheeseman – Cross Country Aalyah Del Rosario – Girls Basketball

FALL

Cross Country

TSSAA DII-A Cross Country

Girls

Team State Champion Runners-Up All-State Runners: Abby Faith Cheeseman, Sophie McInturff, Henley Pritchard, and Sydney Davenport Girls Region Champions All-Region Runner Abby Faith Cheeseman

Abby Faith Cheeseman DII-A Gatorade Player of the Year – 2nd Consecutive Year 4th overall – 43rd Champs Sports National Cross Country Meet, San Diego, Calif.

Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year – Tennessean High School Sports Awards

Middle School - TIAA Middle School Champions Henley Pritchard 1st in John Freeman Invitational – Middle School

The Webb School MAGAZINE

Abby Faith Cheeseman Girls State Champion – 3rd Consecutive Year

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Football

Golf

TSSAA DII-A Football Tyrese Stovall and Gage LeMaster TN Football Coaches Association All-State Players

TSSAA DII-A Golf

Boys Team Advanced to State Tournament Andrew Reeves State 4th overall, Tied for 1st – District Tournament 2nd Place Team – Region Tournament

Justis Haggard East Region Defensive Player of the Year Gustavo Machado East Region Special Teams Player of the Year East Region All-Region Players: Justis Haggard, Zethan Atwood, Arnett Hayes

Preston Hall 2nd overall – Region Tournament 3rd Place Team – District Tournament

Reeves ’25 qualifies for National Championship Andrew Reeves ’25 recently qualified for the 16th annual Hurricane Junior Golf Tour (HJGT) National Championship in Orlando, Fla., set for December.

He advanced by placing 6th in a Hurricane Junior Golf Tour event at Jekyll Island during spring break.

Reeves is a member of the Webb varsity boys golf team.

Volleyball

TSSAA DII-A Volleyball

Battle of Bedford Tournament Champions

Girls Prowd Sriwongngam State - 2nd overall, Region – 2nd overall, District Tournament Winner

2022-2023 School Year

Kennedy Clarkson advanced to Region Tournament 4th place Team – District Tournament

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MS Girls Soccer

Runners-Up – District Championship

WINTER

Aalyah Del Rosario McDonald’s All American

Girls Basketball

2nd Place in Geico Girls Invitational Tournament in Washington, DC (aired on ESPN)

2022 Team USA NXT Up All-American USA Team Gold Medalist Naismith National Player of the Year Finalist, Naismith All-American Team Angelica Velez Division II-A Miss Basketball NXT Up All-American

TSSAA DII-A Girls Basketball State Champions – 3rd consecutive year All-State Tournament Team: Aalyah Del Rosario MVP, Rhema Collins, Daria Biriuk, Bree Robinson

Region Champions

All-Region Tournament Team: Angelica Velez MVP; Bree Robinson, Daria Biriuk

District Champions

All-District Team: Angelica Velez, Bree Robinson, Rhema Collins, Aalyah Del Rosario, Bri ‘Aria Cannon All-District Tournament Team: Angelica Velez, Bree Robinson and Aalyah Del Rosario MVP Main Street Preps Team of the Year, Rated Top 10 in the country Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) All-State Team: Bree Robinson, Angelica Velez, Aalyah Del Rosario

Bree Robinson U17 Canadian Team Bronze Medalist BioSteel All-Canadian Team

2023 Basketball Coaches Association of Tennessee (BCAT) All Stars: Lauren Rust, Aalyah Del Rosario, Angelica Velez, Bree Robinson, Rhema Collins, Aurora Almon-Sanchez Matt Shewmake 2023 BCAT - Pat Summitt Coach of the Year

Boys Basketball TSSAA DII-A Boys Basketball

TSWA All-State Team: Stephen Olowoniyi Middle Region Runner-Up All-Region Team: Stephen Olowoniyi, Arnett Hayes All-Tournament Team: Arnett Hayes-Tournament MVP, Taveon Comage, Jax Howard

District Champions

All-District Team: Stephen Olowoniyi, Taveon Comage, Arnett Hayes

The Webb School MAGAZINE

2022-2023 Main Street Prep All-Mid State Girls Basketball Team: Aalyah Del Rosario and Angelica Velez

Lauren Rust BioSteel All-Canadian Team

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Spring

1600m run - Abby Faith Cheeseman* 800m run - Abby Faith Cheeseman* 400m dash - Bree Robinson* 1600m run - Henley Pritchard - 2nd * Shot Put - TaTianna Stovall - 2nd * 4x200m relay - Angelica Velez, TaTianna Stovall, Christie Thomas, Bree Robinson - 2nd * Triple Jump - Mylee Cox - 3rd * Shot Put - Angelica Velez - 3rd * 800m - Henley Pritchard - 3rd * 200m - Bree Robinson - 3rd * Discus - TaTianna Stovall - 4th 3200m - Sophie McInturff - 4th

Boys

Track and Field

State Long Jump - Victor Shen - 4th

TSSAA DII-A Track and Field

Girls State Team Champions State Champions 4x400m - Angelica Velez, Henley Pritchard, Abby Faith Cheeseman, Bree Robinson 3200m run - Abby Faith Cheeseman 1600m run - Abby Faith Cheeseman 800m run - Abby Faith Cheeseman 400m dash - Bree Robinson

Middle Region Elite 8 Long Jump Victor Shen - Region Champion* 400m dash - Victor Shen - 3rd 110m Hurdles - Demitri Mills - 4th The Tennessean’s 2023 All-Midstate Track and Field 3200 Runner of the Year - Abby Faith Cheeseman

1600m run Henley Pritchard - 3rd 4 x 800m Macy Simon, Sophie McInturff, Paizley Hodges, Henley Pritchard - 3rd

Coach of the Year Cathy Cheeseman

Triple Jump Mylee Cox - 4th

2022-2023 School Year

Shot Put Angelica Velez - 4th

Middle Region Team Champions *State Qualifier Region Champions 4 x 800m Macy Simon, Sophie McInturff, Paizley Hodges, Henley Pritchard* 4x400m - Angelica Velez, Henley Pritchard, Abby Faith Cheeseman, Bree Robinson*

26 3200m run - Abby Faith Cheeseman*

Abby Faith Cheeseman Champion: Girls 2-Mile New Balance Nationals Outdoors 2023 in meet record time – 10.02.08.

Varsity Boys Soccer MS Track

Team TIAA District Champions – 3rd

MS Clay Target Team Team 3rd at SCTP Region 2 Tournament at Nashville Gun Club - Skeet.

Caiden Pyrdum ‘28, Owen Aymett ‘27, Paxton McCallon ‘28

Regional Champions All-Regional Tournament Team: Chris Douglas MVP, Roen Davis, Koen Edwards, Gustavo Machado District Champions All-District Tournament Team: Chris Douglas, Roen Davis, Koen Edwards, Gustavo Machado

Varsity Boys and Girls Tennis TSSAA DII-A Varsity Boys and Girls Tennis

Boys State 12 Region - 3rd District - 3rd Individual District Doubles - Evan Robertson and Zion Gape - 4th

Girls State Elite Eight Team District - 3rd Team Region - 3rd Team finished in top 8 in state

State Tournament Final Four All-State Tournament Team: Roen Davis, Chris Douglas

Varsity Girls Lacrosse Varsity Girls Lacrosse Central 3 All-Region Team: Cy Nash

The Webb School MAGAZINE

Individual District Singles - Sydney Kentish - 2nd District Doubles - Aysha Hosam and Sarai Clarke - 2nd Region Doubles - Aysha Hosam and Sarai Clarke - 2nd State Doubles - Aysha Hosam and Sarai Clarke - Quarterfinals

TSSAA DII-A Varsity Boys Soccer

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Varsity Girls Softball TSSAA DII-A Varsity Girls Softball All-District Team: Tyler Miller

Varsity Baseball

TSSAA DII-A Varsity Baseball

All-District Team: Gunnar Boles, Evan Kirby, Ryan Edwards

2022-2023 School Year

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ena Jones, who joined The Webb School in 2014 as assistant director of athletics and most recently was Office of Student Affairs director of student activities and varsity boys and girls tennis head coach, has been named the school’s athletic director.

She succeeds Scott Dorsett, who recently announced his retirement as athletic director. Dorsett, who joined Webb 15 years ago and has been the athletic director for the last 13 years, will remain at Webb part-time and work with Head of School Ken Cheeseman, Director of Alumni and Development Leigh Adams and the Alumni and Development Office.

“I am excited and honored that Jena Jones is the new athletic director,” said Cheeseman. “The search committee was thoroughly impressed with her knowledge of best practices of athletic administration, the particular opportunities and challenges that face the school’s Athletic Department, and the solutions she posed to the challenges we face.”

“Hiring Jena nine years ago, I knew we had an outstanding young lady who would someday become a leader of the Webb Athletic Department,” said Dorsett. “Jena jumped in, soaked up everything athletics, and immersed herself into the Webb culture. She, with the help of a great group of athletic department staff and coaches, will be able to take Webb athletics to the next level. Jena has been more than a colleague but more like a daughter in her growth here at Webb. I wish her the best in this new venture.”

MS Golf

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Jones new athletic director; Dorsett to work part-time with Alumni and Development

As an athlete, Jones played number one singles in tennis all four years of high school; her father, one of the great influences on her life, was her tennis coach and the school’s athletic director for 28 years. She chose Otterbein College to continue her athletic and academic career, played both singles and doubles and led the team as captain her senior year. She earned an undergraduate degree in broadcasting and public relations. Jones earned her master’s degree in professional studies with a concentration in strategic leadership at Middle Tennessee State University.

District Tournament Runners-up District Tournament Champion Phet Phothong Regional Tournament Champion Phet Phothong

She worked for The Columbus Destroyers (a member of the AFL - Arena Football League), Ohio State University, and the Nashville Predators in public relations and communications. She also served in the Middle Tennessee State University Athletic Department, where she managed all aspects of athletic events on campus and planned, developed, and implemented community events to promote MTSU athletics. During her Webb career, she

also served as the league administrator for the Middle Tennessee Athletic Conference for six years. She left the athletic department to become the assistant director of college counseling with a particular emphasis of helping Webb student athletes who wanted to play in college navigate the recruiting process. She began working in the Office of Student Affairs in the summer of 2022 with Associate Head of School Dr. Tabetha Sullens ’94 and Dean of Students and Residential Life Jon Bloom to develop student activities and leadership opportunities.

In addition to these experiences, Jones is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations, having earned both accreditation and certification with this organization as an interscholastic coach. She also holds NFHS levels 1, 2, and 3 certifications and is a member of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and has earned both her certification of Athletic Administration and Master Athletic Administration.

Jones said she is humbled and honored to accept this position.

“I feel a deep sense of gratitude and enthusiasm for being selected to help guide the team of outstanding coaches and student athletes at The Webb School. Scott Dorsett has done a wonderful job developing and moving athletics to the next level over his time here, and while the position carries a legacy and high expectations, I am eager to uphold and build upon this. She added, “As someone who has grown up in and around athletics my entire life, I am ready to use my talents, knowledge, and commitment to the Webb mission to push the department, coaches, and student athletes to even higher levels.”

Dorsett, in announcing his retirement, noted he is “immensely proud of what our student athletes and coaches have

accomplished during my tenure. I have been incredibly blessed by the relationships that I have made in and through Webb. Together, the coaches, teachers, leadership team, and I have been able to know and invest in so many incredible young men and women. We have watched them blossom into men and women of integrity and character.” He added, “Mostly, I am grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to lead an important Webb program and its people to flourish, individually and as a corporate body.

The athletic department is enjoying its most successful year in our 153-year-history, and deservedly gaining the reputation as one of the very best athletic programs in our independent-school division. None of this could have occurred without the vision, passion, sacrifice, and support of so many student athletes, coaches, teachers, staff, leadership team members, parents, and others, so I say thank you!”

Dorsett added, “I will work closely with Mr. Cheeseman and our advancement teams to solicit funding for the Board of Trustees’ strategic initiatives and recruit the best and brightest on-mission student leaders to pursue excellence in academics, arts, and athletics, with character above all else. My new role will be part time and allow me to be more present as a husband, father, and grandpa while partnering with our advancement team to support the programs I was so blessed to shepherd during these last 15 years. I am excited for this next and last chapter in my professional life. I am profoundly grateful to continue to be a part of this great school community.” c

College Commitments

Lauren Rust - Basketball University of Pittsburgh

Angelica Velez - Basketball LSU

Rhema Collins - Basketball Ole Miss

Bree Robinson - Basketball Michigan State

Aurora Sanchez-Almon Basketball - University of Miami

Roen Davis - Soccer Lipscomb University

Sammeka Hepburn - Basketball North Central University

Gustavo Machado - Soccer Lake Forest College

Koen Edwards - Soccer Oglethorpe University

Stephen Olowoniyi - Basketball Virginia Military Institute

Eleven student athletes have committed to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level.

The Webb School MAGAZINE

Aalyah Del Rosario - Basketball - LSU

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WSPA hosts Belles and Buckles Gala

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he Webb School Community gathered for the 2023 Belles and Buckles Gala, a sold-out event, hosted at the White Dove Barn in Beechgrove, Tenn., by The Webb School Parents’ Association.

This popular event is the WSPA’s main fundraiser and was attended by members of the board of trustees, alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends. The gala was preceded by cocktails and appetizers at a VIP reception for sponsors, and trustees.

The premier sponsors of the event were Land Rover Bluff City, of Memphis, courtesy of Farrar Vaughan, Webb Class of 1995, and Rob Vaughan, and Keith McSwain Homes of Atlanta, courtesy of Keith McSwain.

Highlighting the live auction each year is a crowd-pleaser -- a chocolate pie made by Dorothy Elkins, who is in her 66th year of service to Webb. An online auction was also part of the annual fundraiser. Proceeds from the event benefit Webb’s faculty and staff.

Gala event chairs were Gina and Jason Reeves with committee members, Ginger Bobo Shofner, Caroline Hulan Smith ’98, Carrie Brooke Simmons, Dr. Tabetha Sullens ’94, Angela Wilsdorf, Melanie Kiser, Michelle Thomas and Alyce Allen. c

Dinner catered by Alley on Main in Murfreesboro, dancing with Emerald Empire Band and live and silent auctions followed as those attending continued to celebrate a tradition of the school.

Trustees Keith Barton ’75 and Tom Cooper ’65, Dorothy Elkins, and Trustees Gwen Owen ’75 and Vance Berry ’72

Jeremy and Abriana Frazier

Carrie and Richard Bawcum

Alan Brown, Alumni Board Member Jami Averwater ’13, and Trustee Evan Cope ’94

Gerald and Melanie Kiser

2022-2023 School Year

Gala Chairs Jason and Gina Reeves

Trustees Ben Blakeley ’93 and Webb Follin III ’73

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Davis Turner ’79 and Trustees Melora Turner ’80 and Bill Hardin ’79

Bobby and Lexie Harding and Jessica and Brent Florida

Phillip and Dana Edwards

D.C., Baltimore, Northern Va.

Trustee Webb Follin ’73, Alumni Board mamber Shilpy Dixit ’00, Frederick Landry ’96, Brian Hall

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Kathryn Jones ’10, Kristen Linton ’00, Jonathon Hawkins

embers of The Webb School’s Alumni and Development Office visited Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Md., and Northern Va. on behalf of the school. While in the area, Associate Director of Alumni and Development Jonathon Hawkins and Director of Leadership Annual Giving Kristen Linton ’00 met with several alumni and friends including John Newman ’09, Alumni Board Member Shilpy Dixit ’00, James Tian ’09, Wade Sutton ’98, Susie Kane ’03 and Andrew Donelson ’67. In addition, Hawkins and Linton along with Associate Head of School Jim Callis and Director of Athletics Scott Dorsett hosted a contingent of alumni and friends at Silver in Cathedral Commons and at the Geico Girls Basketball Invitational at Sidwell Friends School. Guests included Kathryn Jones ’10, Fredrick Landry ’96 and his children Zoe and Miles, former faculty member Kyle Greene, Austin Fiala ’16, Shilpy Dixit ’00 and Brian Hall, Ruth Watson ’14, Kim Dorsett, Kevin Merritt ’88 and family, and Trustee Webb Follin ’73. Webb’s girls basketball team was victorious over the nationally ranked Torreys of La Jolla Country Day School in La Jolla, Calif. The next evening, Webb played for the invitational championship against nationally-ranked home team Sidwell Friends School and came up short losing at the buzzer by two. c

The Webb School MAGAZINE

Jonathon Hawkins, James Tian ’09

Ruth Watson ’14, Jim Callis, Austin Fiala ’16

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Grand Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Jamaica

Manu Mansharamani, Carrie Moe, Fredrik Moe, Ken Cheeseman, Roseanne Moe and daughters, Damian Moe

Miranda Sampson, Anthony Cuthbert, Tanya Cuthbert

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Webb three-person team visited throughout the Caribbean in November on behalf of the Offices of Alumni and Development and Admissions. Head of School Ken Cheeseman, Associate Director of Alumni and Development Jonathon Hawkins, and Assistant Director of Admissions Tommie Goodloe met with alumni, parents of alumni, current parents, and prospective parents in the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and Jamaica.

While traveling, Cheeseman met with Webb alumnus and current parent Justin Gape ’95 (father of Zion ’23) in the Bahamas, and Sunil and Kareena Relwani (parents of Harshi ’25) in Kingston, Jamaica.

In addition, he and Hawkins hosted two events in Jamaica. The first event was held at the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica, with guests including Miranda Sampson (mother of Mia

Kareena Relwani, Sunil Relwani, Miranda Sampson, Lori Ralston, Ken Cheeseman

’21), Sunil and Kareena Relwani (parents of Harshi ’25), Lisa Chin (mother of Madison ’23), Lori Ralston (mother of JJ ’23), Tracy Gibson (mother of Alexander ’23), Anthony and Tanya Cuthbert (parents of Catherine ’23), and Catherine Alexander (mother of Josh McDaniel ’23).

The second event was held at the Hotel Grand A View in Montego Bay, Jamaica, with guests including Manu Mansharamani (father of Yash ’17 and Krish ’22), Fredrik and Carrie Moe (parents of Ethan ’25), and Damian and Roseanne Moe and daughters. Both gatherings provided an opportunity for Cheeseman to share details about the school’s strategic plan and vision for the future.

Concurrently, Goodloe represented Webb at the North American Boarding School Fairs in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Kingston, Jamaica, and Nassau, Bahamas, and met with several prospective students and their families. c

2022-2023 School Year

Memphis

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Trustees Keith Barton ’75, Gwen Jones Owen ’75 with Ken Cheeseman

Chairman Emeriti Phil Coop ’66 and Jim McDonnell ’43 with Ken Cheeseman, center

Joan Creason Jones, Ken Cheeseman, Jim McDonnell ’43, Missie McDonnell

M Alumni Board member Kaleb Tilton ’12, Sarada Kolli Tilton ’12, Courtney Cocanougher, Alumni Board member Caroline Smith Pryor ’11

ore than 40 alumni, parents and friends of The Webb School attended an event in Memphis, Tenn., to hear the “good news” of the school from Head of School Ken Cheeseman. The evening was hosted by Board of Trustees members Gwen Jones Owen ’75 and Keith Barton ’75 at the Memphis Country Club with alumni in attendance from the class years of 1950 through 2013. c

Trustees Sam Lasseter ’69, Chase Spurlock ’05

Murfreesboro

Alumni Board Member Katherine Layman ‘03, Beth Cope, Amy Farrar

Leigh Adams, Trustee Jeff Howard, Scott Dorsett, Trustee Evan Cope ’94, Jana Hawkins

John Roberts ’06, Casey Vaughn

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Trustees, Chase Spurlock ’05, Evan Cope ’94, and Bricke Murfree ’96, Alumni Board Member Ted Goodman ’02

ynn and George Lien recently hosted a Rutherford County Alumni, Parents, and Friends Gathering at their beautiful home in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The Liens are the parents of Alumni Board Member Pearson Murphy ’12 of Spartanburg, S.C. With nearly 100 guests in attendance, the evening provided a wonderful opportunity for Head of School Ken Cheeseman and additional members of Webb’s leadership team and faculty and staff to share current news of Webb and plans for its future.

Alumni Board Member Libby Willis ’80, Wade Gaither ’92, Susan Gaither, Gina DeJean ’00, Alumni Board Member Caitlin Roberts ’03

In Mr. Cheeseman’s closing remarks to guests, he said, “To summarize, the current state of Webb is strong, and the future is bright, but the future is challenging in the independent school market. To continue to ensure Webb thrives and is sustainable for our current students’ children, we need to boldly embrace the future. My firm belief is that Middle Tennessee, Tennessee, our country, and the world needs Webb and more schools like it that are clear hearted and clear headed about honor, integrity, character, and excellence.” c

New Orleans

everal alumni from the classes of 1966 through 1977 and friends recently gathered in New Orleans, La., with Head of School Ken Cheeseman and Director of Alumni and Development Leigh Adams. The event was hosted by current parents, Yvette and Paul Stouse (Jean Paul ’23). Those attending were Angela and Dickey Bourgeois ’66, Susie and the Honorable Scott Crichton ’72, Yvonne and Oscar Gwin ’69, George Williamson ’77, and Mike Susie and Trustee Scott Crichton ’72, Ken Cheeseman and Wolf ’66. They had the opportunity to catch up, share Leigh Adams stories, and hear Cheeseman’s remarks about the excellence and character of the Webb community as well as the hopes and visions for the future of the school. The following day Justice Crichton gave Cheeseman and Adams a tour of the Supreme Court Building in the French Quarter. c

The Webb School MAGAZINE

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Lynn Lien, Ken Cheeseman

Ken Cheeseman, Trustee Scott Crichton ’72, Leigh Adams

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William Bond Library 30th Anniversary celebrated

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1970s historian Glenn Holliman: “In 1886, the Webb brothers moved their school from Culleoka to Bell Buckle, Tenn.

They had $12,000 to invest in education. Of their original investment, they spent $8,000 on books.”

he 30th Anniversary of the William Bond Library on The Webb School campus was celebrated with a reception in the library following the April 21 Board of Trustees meeting. More than 60 guests attended, including trustees, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends.

2022-2023 School Year

Webb Head of School Ken Cheeseman welcomed guests to “our beloved school and this hallowed hall, Bond Library, that remains the hub of life at Webb.

Head of School Ken Cheeseman, Former Librarian Sandy Sanders, Library Director Hannah Little, Board of Trustees Chairman Emeritus As most of you Vance Berry ’72 know, The William Bond Library, named for William W. Bond, Webb Class of 1903, was formally dedicated on Feb. 5, 1993 -- just a little more than 30 years ago. William Bond Jr., class of 1938, whose gift to Webb School of more than $1,000,000, made this library building possible.”

34

Former Faculty and Staff Members Sandi Jobe Puett ’95, Lucy Phillips, L.R. Smith, Sandy Sanders, Ralph Jones, Ron Smith, Bill Abernathy ’72, Lee Woosley ’78

Cheeseman noted that Jon Frere, former Webb head of school, said at the dedication of the library in 1993, “Judge Bond studied under Sawney Webb and was acutely aware of Sawney’s love for books. When Sawney started his school, he spent most of his money on books and not buildings. Strother Simpson, Judge Bond, and their classmates had the vision to build a building to house all the books that Sawney had bought. In 1927, the Class of 1903 erected the John Webb Library. It is fitting that Judge Bond’s son would build the school’s second library.” To further explain what Mr. Frere suggested -- Cheeseman included a quote from

“Good libraries need good librarians, and we have one of the best,” Cheeseman said of Hannah Little, ‘matriarch of the library’. “She has an uncanny way of creating a culture within our library that perpetually welcomes all students and faculty and allows for both a low hum of activity and enough quiet to get lost in a good book. I don’t know how she achieves this rare combination, but she does.”

Board of Trustees Chair Farrar Vaughan ’95, Trustee Liza Palmer Gipson ’99

Little used a quote in her remarks to the guests. “My favorite quote from “The Library Book” by Susan Orlean is unusual. But as a librarian, I completely understand the sentiment. After spending a day with a public library director, the author made this comment to Alumni and Development Research Assistant herself, ‘it occurred to me that Dorothy Elkins and Trustee Bill Hardin ’79 the large part of a city librarian’s job is to be a property manager.’ It is my great pleasure to manage such a beautiful property at The Webb School — The William Bond Library. Our library is more than this beautiful building, and it is more than the well-kept collection. It is an educational program and a group of professionals working with young people to teach information literacy and defend intellectual freedom throughout The Webb School community. I thank you all for your investment in this literary sanctuary! And I thank you for the investment that you made in the future of Webb and its students.” c

Trustees Lee Woosley ’78 and Tom Cooper ’65, Former Trustee Ward Cammack ’75

Adams new Alumni and Development Director L

eigh Adams joined The Webb School as the new Director of Alumni and Development in March.

In his announcement to the Webb Community, Head of School Ken Cheeseman said, “Leigh knows exceptional independent schools from her own student career and as a professional in the advancement office at one of the most successful advancement offices in the South.

She brings those experiences and expertise to help us explore how we at Webb can be our best, advancing the cause of our mission for future generations of Webb students and families.”

Cheeseman added, “All of us in the advancement business -admissions, development, alumni relations, and communications -- are in the storytelling business. Our jobs are to connect our constituents to the stories of exceptional work being accomplished between teachers and students. These stories highlight the essence of what makes Webb so special. Leigh’s energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Her clarity of best practices in development and alumni affairs and her experience in living out those best practices at the highest levels of advancement are outstanding.”

Since 2016, Adams, a Nashville resident, served as the Montgomery Bell Academy Associate Director of Alumni and Development and The MBA Fund. Prior to that position, she was Development and Events Manager of the Nashville Ballet from 2014-2016. She is a graduate of Norfolk Academy and also Sewanee: The University of the South, where she was awarded a Bachelor of Arts with a major in economics.

“For me, the most enjoyable aspect of working in development is that it is a people-based and relationship-centric career. I genuinely love getting to know people, and ushering a donor through the process of understanding the needs of the school, to how they can support these needs, to ultimately getting to

“Leigh is an excellent partner to the entire leadership team, the Board of Trustees, and the Alumni Board in developing a compelling case of support for the people, programming, and building that are part of our Strategic Plan 2022,” Cheeseman noted. “I am confident that Jonathon Hawkins, associate director of Alumni and Development, and Leigh will be strong, complementary partners. They bring different gifts and skill sets to the important work that we must accomplish for our students and faculty.”

While at MBA, Adams was the lead for the alumni annual giving campaign each year, resulting in more than $4 million overall in Annual Fund donations, and was involved in a $250 million comprehensive Capital Campaign, including the new Frank H. Burkholder Wellness Center, building the endowment, and enhancing the Annual Fund. She worked collaboratively with key leadership to achieve fundraising goals established by the Board of Trustees and Head of School. Adams served as primary liaison for lead generation and to identify prospects for the Alumni Board, Young Alumni Board, Advisory Board and subcommittees.

She also worked to identify and organize MBA Fund alumni class captains and reunion chairs, spearheaded personalized stewardship initiatives, including growing donor relationships and follow-up for gifts received, and developed and implemented a successful reunion giving program.

Her community leadership includes Friends of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and Friends of Nashville Ballet.

She was named a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: 2017 Nashville’s Top 30 Under 30 Honoree, and is a Young Leaders Council: 2016 Spring Class Graduate.

“Leigh is a dynamo. She is very personable, capable and knowledgeable,” said Gwen Owen, Webb Class of 1975, board of trustees member. “We are so fortunate to have her joining and leading our A&D team.”

Chase Spurlock, Class of 2005, also a trustee, added, “I am thrilled to welcome Leigh and her family to Webb. Leigh’s extensive development and fundraising experience, combined with her proven ability to drive success, makes her the perfect addition to Webb‘s leadership team. Leigh’s arrival comes at a pivotal moment in the school’s history as we begin executing our new strategic plan and aspire to position Webb as one of the best small boarding and day schools in the country. Leigh is a team and community builder. I cannot wait for Webb alums, friends, parents, faculty, and staff to engage with her.” c

The Webb School MAGAZINE

“It is a true privilege to join The Webb School as Director of Alumni and Development, and I am grateful to Ken Cheeseman and the Board for this incredible opportunity. I am honored and so excited to be a part of the Webb community, propel its mission forward, and help shape the future of the school,” Adams said. “There is a lot to love about Webb, all of which drew me to explore this opportunity – its beautiful campus, inspiring history, unparalleled reputation for top-tier academics and faculty, successful alumni, and students who appreciate the importance of hard work and demonstrating personal integrity in everything they do. I am deeply impressed with Webb’s dedication to creating a welcoming, diverse, and family-like environment for its students.

witness and experience the positive impact of their support is tremendously gratifying.”

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Alumni gatherings, awards, Webb’s emerging Strategic Plan 2022 part of Alumni Reunion Weekend

Spending time with classmates and other Webb alumni, faculty and staff filled the 2022 Alumni Reunion Weekend in October for those who traveled from near and as far away as 2,000 miles. Featured were an All-Alumni Social, brunch and awards ceremony and class parties. Also part of the celebration, were campus tours, a gathering in the trail room, clay target shooting, pottery class, and time to peruse archives in the Bond Library.

Class of 1972

Trustee Melora Turner ’80, Alumni Board Member Bob Davies ’76, Lisa Davies

Class of 1982

Jack Bailey, Board of Trustees Chair Vance Berry, Bill Abernathy, Steven Bonds, Wilson Sims, all ’72

LauraBeth Bell Frey ’92, Trustee Farrar Vaughan ’95, Mandy Akin Hayes ’92, Beth Hubbard Crabtree ’92, Trustee Evan Cope ’94

Dorothy Elkins, Alumni and Development Office, and Trustee Effie Johnson ’04 History Department Chair Dr. Christopher Candy, Steve Bonds ’72, Bill Abernathy ’72, Jack Bailey ’72

2022-2023 School Year

Class of 1992

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Class of 2002

Webb Videographer John McCreery capturing Webb memories with Bill Abernathy ’72

Bill Heineke ’72, Steve Pike ’72, Bruce Cosgrove ’72

For more about the 2022 Reunion and to watch the awards ceremony video, visit: https://www.thewebbschool.com/about/school-news-- Oct. 26, 2022, post.

Board of Trustees Chair Vance Berry ’72, Dorothy Elkins, Alumni and Development Office, Carl Turner ’72, Head of School Ken Cheeseman

Trustee Ben Blakeley ’93, Alumni Board Member Ted Goodman ’02, Trustee Matt Layman ’03

Alumni Board Member Jami Averwater ’13, Trustee Sandi Jobe Puett ’95, Associate Director of Alumni and Development Jonathon Hawkins

George Hester, Trustee Emeritus Dr. Paul Stumb, Fleet Johnson, all ’52

Alumni on Jr. Room porch

Associate Director of Alumni and Development Jonathon Hawkins, Alumni Board President Hudson Byrd ’05

Director of Leadership Annual Giving Kristen Linton ’00, Scout Turner ’12, Pearson Murphy ’12, Hannah Cartwright ’12.

Dr. Theresa Heindel, history faculty; Bella Crow, art faculty; Missy Harden, science faculty; Samantha Lange, testing fellow; Nicole Taucare, dean of academics and arts; Jack Franko, math faculty

Jeff Lorberbaum ’72 Distinguished Alumni Society Inductee

L.R. Smith and Ralph Jones, former history faculty members

Trustee Olly Wang ’09 Hardin Service Award Recipient

Trustee Chase Spurlock ’05, Nick Jennings ’02

Rob Gardner ’72, Dorothy Elkins, Alumni and Development Office, Jan Gardner Hawkins ’74

The 2022 inductee and award recipient were unable to attend Reunion 2022 in person, and their awards were presented at different times.

For more about the 2022 Reunion and to watch the awards ceremony video, visit: https://www.thewebbschool.com/about/school-news-- Oct. 26, 2022, post.

The Webb School MAGAZINE

Trustee Bill Hardin ’79, Sandy Truitt, former math faculty member, Trustee Webb Follin III ’73

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Brian Singer

(continued from page 5)

Brian graduated with a BA in economics, Northwestern University and M.B.A. in international finance, University of Chicago. He served as a member of The Webb School Board of Trustees from 2014-2020. c

Claudia Hazelwood (continued from page 5)

Poston ’80 Plaza. The Hazelwoods made the gift in honor of their daughter, Whitney, and her experiences and lifelong friendships started while at Webb. The sculpture was created by Russ Faxon of Bell Buckle, a former Webb artist-in-residence.

Past inductees and award recipients may be viewed by visiting https:// www.thewebbschool.com/alumni/awards-and-notable-alumni.

Alisyn Parfait

Another impetus for pursuing West Point came in 10th grade English class taught by Buck Smith. Smith, who is a West Point graduate, talked about his time as a cadet and described the environment. Sublette said it sounded interesting, and he had no idea the service academy encompassed all the aspects Smith described. “Before that, I didn’t think I would ever want to go into the military. That changed my mind. I watched all these YouTube videos.”

“I love the city of Chicago; it’s one of my favorite places on earth. That’s why I was looking at University of Chicago and Northwestern. When I was a sophomore, I decided to pursue international relations. University of Chicago is in the top 10 for international relations programs in the world.”

Then there are similarities to Webb – including the importance of West Point’s honor code. Sublette was an honor council member as a junior and served as president his senior year. He’s more confident and doesn’t think he needs to worry much about that aspect explaining, “It’s what Webb teaches, and serving on the honor council reinforced it. I’ve already been living it.”

Sublette said “being around people who are very similar to me” will be the biggest challenge at West Point, noting that he will be among students with a strong competitiveness in academics and physical demands.

In addition to his academic preparation through the years at Webb, he recently has been physically conditioning for basic training - which he will encounter first at West Point. “I have been swimming, running, and lifting weights every day so I do not have to focus so much on the ‘physical’.”

Spring/Summer 2023

In other service, Claudia is a Session Member and Sue’s Purse Outreach Committee member of Normandy (Tenn.) Presbyterian Church, its former Treasurer, and has been a Frist Art Museum Docent. c

Carter Sublette

(continued from page 10)

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Claudia also served on Webb’s Development Committee from 2017-2020, and as an informal advisor to the Alumni and Development Office throughout the years.

While at Webb for seven years, Sublette has consistently appeared on the honor roll, received various book awards, been a member of the lacrosse team since 8th grade and on the crosscountry team for the last three years. In his spare time, he likes to weld and fabricate metal. He also has been working on a Toyota Land Cruiser for several years trying to get it to operate. “It’s super fun and addicting.”

Sublette points to the WILD Program as the “best thing” and Webb’s honor code as the “most important overall.” As he enters West Point, he’s also taking a strong academic work ethic. “It definitely makes me feel prepared.” c

(continued from page 11)

Before she applied to any of her college finalists, Parfait applied to the Questbridge early-decision program that encompasses 48 colleges across the nation. “It was the most stressful time of my life.” Following her acceptance, she participated in the Questbridge virtual recruitment program. “That helped me cross a lot of schools off my list and decide what was the best place for me. I only applied to one college, UChicago. Questbridge requires a four-year binding agreement that students must enroll in the first college where accepted. So, she accepted.

While spending much or her young life preparing to make lifealtering and life-enhancing choices, Parfait assisted her mother, Shelby Parfait, a preschool teacher, as an aide. She also helped with every aspect of her mother’s Parfait Studio theatre program, teaching youth actors, serving as stage manager and acting. She’s written multiple plays, with several published and one staged. She attended JKCF summer program opportunities at the University of Pennsylvania and University of Connecticut.

Parfait has served as a Program Aide for Girls Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma and was one of 20 Girl Scouts nationwide chosen as a youth delegate for the 67th Commission on the Status of Women at the UN Headquarters in New York this spring. She’s been an actor and part of the stage crew for the Webb Company Players for several productions and a library aide for two years. She’s a member of the National Honor Society, Cum Laude Society and Honor Council and is an Alla Webb Scholar.

During the last four years, Parfait said, “Webb has been an asset in the college process. Webb’s honor code really does mean a lot to me. That and theatre have been building blocks to be a leader.

Being at Webb gave me an opportunity to be a leader. It was a great space for me to learn and grow … and watch others grow and mature.” She added, “Webb does prepare leaders who have the idea of collective responsibility – duty to one another and those who come after us and the responsibility to uphold what is right. I hope Webb continues to do that.” c

Webb Feet in Focus

During the past year, the Alumni & Development Office has created and shared a series of young alumni profiles for Instagram entitled “Webb Feet in Focus.” To date, 29 alumni from all over the world have been featured in this series which asks alums three questions: What did you do after

Webb? What are you up to now? What about your Webb experience prepared you for the future? The biweekly posts have been very popular on Instagram among fellow alumni, parents, current students, faculty and staff with more than 3,500 “likes” since the beginning of the series in March 2022.

What did you do after Webb?

Dr. Shilpy Dixit ’00

After graduating from Webb, I attended Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana where I studied psychology and neuroscience. I then returned to Webb as a faculty member in the science department while completing a Masters Degree in Experimental Psychology at MTSU. Because I apparently love going to school, I joined the Graduate Neuroscience Program at Vanderbilt University where I earned a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience investigating the detrimental effect of vitamin C deficiency in aging and neurodegeneration.

What are you up to now?

For the first few years after college, I paid homage to some of my most influential teachers at Webb by teaching Spanish at a boarding school in Minnesota. I wanted to provide the same care and uplifting environment that Webb was for me because of those teachers. It was fascinating, exhausting and fulfilling being on the other side of things as a faculty member, and I’m glad I did it. This year, I transitioned to the role of College Counselor and I am also pursuing my Masters in Human Resource Development from Villanova University.

Matthew Dilworth ’12

Hailey Williams ’14

There were so many things about Webb that prepared me for the future. The rigorous academics made the transition to college easy to manage. Playing two sports made me prioritize time management to ensure I would still get all of my school work done. Arguably the most important thing that Webb gave me was the chance to interact, grow, and learn with kids and teachers from all over the world. It was such a unique opportunity that I feel so lucky to have experienced. I also made some of the best relationships and friends that I still have to this day. Forever grateful for Webb!

To read more about Matthew, Hailey and Shilpy and other young alumni, visit: https://www.thewebbschool.com/alumni.

The Webb School MAGAZINE

What about your Webb experience prepared you for t he future ?

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What did you do after Webb?

Sarah DeLisle Fecht ’05

“After graduating, I attended Vanderbilt University. I pursued an undergraduate degree in Education and Child Studies, graduating summa cum laude with high honors and proudly representing my class during graduation as the banner bearer for Peabody College. I stayed another year at Vanderbilt to complete a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction before teaching elementary school in Nashville.

I then returned to Vanderbilt to support the elementary programs and professional development opportunities through Programs for Talented Youth. While working at Vanderbilt, I completed my Doctorate in Education at Lipscomb University and met my husband, Eric.”

What are you up to now?

“Since 2017, I have been with Live Nation, where I am now the Vice President, Regional Marketing for the state of Florida, and I lead a team promoting concerts and events in the state. Working with artists like Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, Bad Bunny, and so many more is an incredibly rewarding job where you can look out to a crowd having the time of their life! I now live in beautiful Miami, FL, with my wife, Sophie, and dog, Macho.”

Spenser Coop ’08

What about your Webb experience prepared you for t he future ?

Temaz Ferguson ’16

The Webb experience has made me very adaptive and willing to put myself out there and try new things. Moving from the Bahamas to Tennessee as a teenager was the first step, but that continued throughout my Webb tenure. I interacted with cultures from around the world, played in the string orchestra, hiked, kayaked and did many activities that I otherwise might not have. I have taken that mentality with me, and it has proven beneficial throughout college and in the workplace. I would be remiss if I did not give a special thanks to the Garcia family and Mrs. Mullen who went above and beyond the teacher role and were very influential in my Webb experience.

2022-2023 School Year

To read more about Sarah, Spenser and Temaz and other young alumni, visit: https://www.thewebbschool.com/alumni.

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We want to hear from you

Do you have an updated address or special news to share with your classmates?

Whether it is about your career, travel experiences, bi h or wedding announcements, or a move, we want to hear from you.

Please share your information for inclusion in the Webb Magazine at: h ps://www.thewebbschool.com/alumni/share-a-class-note-or-update-your-contact-info

Class Not

Life and career updates to keep you connected with your classmates

1970s

1990s

Barry Wilker ’72 entered the ranks of published novelists with the release of his debut novel, The Lapone Sisters, published last fall by Simon & Schuster publishing partner Archway Publishing.

Wilker spent 43 years working as an interior designer for myriad clients across the United States. He lived for a number of years in the Los Angeles area and currently resides in Nashville, Tenn.

1980s

Tracy Jones Salter ’90 writes: “My husband, Chris, and I have built a new home. We’re downsizing since we only have one child left at home.

We became grandparents on March 11, 2022, to a beautiful baby girl, Oaklynn Mae Salter. Our oldest son, Jordan and his wife are truly blessed. I’m still teaching first grade and still loving it. I sure do miss my Webb family. Hopefully I’ll see everyone at our next reunion in 2025.”

James O.J. Calder ’97 writes: “As of October ’21, I am now the medical director and chief hospitalist for Harrison Memorial Hospital in Cynthiana, Ky., where I live with my wife, Christy, and three children, Eva (15), Morgan (11) and Alma (9).”

Andrew McRady ’86, a member of the Webb history department, was elected by the Bell Buckle Mayor and Board of Aldermen to serve as vice mayor. McRady has served as an alderman since January 2019. He continues as an alderman and also as a commissioner on the Bell Buckle Planning Commission, where he has served since October 2018.

An article about Robert Hornsby’s (’87) company was featured in Business Week Magazine. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-19/jobomax-buildshouses-in-ghana-guinea-and-sierra-leone#xj4y7vzkg Paul Martin ’88 was quoted in a recent TIME Magazine article “The Business Community Is Terrified of the ESG Backlash. It’s Just Starting to Fight Back” https://time.com/6267352/esg-business-backlash/

2000s

Michael DeLisle ’02 and Leigh Anne Ervin were united in marriage on Oct. 9, 2022, at the historic Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, Tenn. Following the reception, Michael and Leigh Anne honeymooned in London, Paris, and the French Riviera. They now reside in Nashville, where Michael is an attorney, and Leigh Anne is director of the dance program at St. Cecilia Academy.

The Webb School MAGAZINE

Jordan Heffner ’87, Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Francine Bosco ’87, London, England, visited Webb earlier this year.

With them is Jonathon Hawkins, associate director of alumni and development.

Toral Doshi ’99 and Nathaniel Robinson ’00 met with Kristen Linton ’00, director of leadership annual giving, at La Pecora Bianca in Bryant Park in Manhattan.

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Matt Oehlmann ’02 and wife Ashley visited with Ken Cheeseman, head of school, and had lunch with Jonathon Hawkins, associate director of alumni and development, during a visit to campus.

Micah Betschart ’04 wrote “I was married to Mark Rollins, of Winchester, Tenn, on May 28, at Oaklands Mansion in Murfreesboro. Hallie Dyer, Alex Wright, and Spencer Duncan, all of the class of ’04 and Laura Hampton, class of ’05, were present.”

Alex Wright, Laura Hampton, Hallie Dyer and Spencer Duncan

Ridley Shetler ’07 and Nathaniel Stawarz visited campus in August of 2022.

2022-2023 School Year

Erin McMahon ’09 and Kristen Linton ’00 in Atlanta, Ga.

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Kamran Khan Glover was born to Jesseca ’09 and Reed Glover on Dec. 13, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn., weighing 7 pounds 13 ounces. Attending a shower hosted by Melissa Wisniewski Jones ’10 and Sutton Jones ’09 were, from left, Manjari Singh ’08, Melissa Wisniewski Jones ’10, Jess Khan Glover ’09, Syra Khan ’15, Alison Jones Lightcap ’06 and Sutton Jones ’09. Attending but not pictured were Bailey Haile Stanley ’09 and son Duke.

Trustee Olly Wang ’09, left, Jim Callis, associate head of school, and Trustees, Lee Woosley ’78, Chase Spurlock ’05, Webb Follin ’73, along with Jonathon Hawkins, associate director of alumni and development, not pictured, gathered for dinner in Nashville during Wang’s visit.

Wang toured Webb and had lunch with students while on campus.

2010s

Mariah Engel ’10 writes: “In spring 2022 I graduated from the University of South Florida with a Masters of Business Administration with a concentration of Data Analytics.

Shortly after, I joined the L’Oréal Group as a Manager or MarTech and work at one of their subsidiaries, SalonCentric, located in sunny St. Petersburg, Fla.!”

Sallie Carter ’12 and Carson Bryant ’13 are currently living in New Haven, Conn. They were married in Murfreesboro, Tenn., in 2019 after beginning their relationship on the Webb Quiz Bowl team.

Sallie works at Chapel Haven Schleifer Center, which serves adults with developmental disabilities, where she helps individuals explore employment opportunities in the community. She also co-owns a needlepoint canvas design business, Three Thimbles Design, with her sister Katie Carter ’15. Carson recently earned his Ph.D. from the Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry Department at Yale University, winning the shared Mary Ellen Jones Dissertation Prize. This summer, he begins a Senior Data Scientist role at the biotech startup Serna Bio.

Thomas Webb ’18 writes: “I recently graduated from Belmont University and now am a first-year medical student at UTHSC College of Medicine in Memphis.”

Callie Kerbo ’12 and Kristen Linton ’00 in Huntsville, Ala.

Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) has announced that Kayla Taylor ’19, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., was placed on the Dean’s List for the fall semester of 2022. A total of 556 undergraduate students were honored for high academic achievements. To be placed on the Dean’s List, the student must be a full-time undergraduate and have a 3.5 or higher, grade-point average for the semester.

2020s Jami Averwater ’13, center, was the guest speaker during the Women’s History Month observance.

Caroline Boyle ’15 met with Kristen Linton ’00, director of leadership annual giving, in New York City.

Abbi Lowry ’20 is currently studying abroad in Japan for her junior year at J. F. Oberlin University in Machida, Tokyo. Her program is being sponsored in part by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Center for Global Communication, as well as the Bridging Foundation, a scholarship program that funds 80 students a year across the United States. Her program focuses on the intersection of Japanese and American politics and the study of the Japanese language. She will be returning to the Honor’s College at UTC in August 2023 to finish her undergraduate degree in political science.

Donovan Vincent ’20, a psychology major at McKendree University, has been initiated into Pi Gamma Mu international honor society for the social sciences. New members were welcomed as part of McKendree University’s tenth annual Academic Excellence Celebration on April 27, 2023. Founded in 1924, the interdisciplinary honor society recognizes good scholarship and promotes excellence by enriching service projects, publications, a scholarship program, and guest lecture grants to chapters.

Josephine Hardin ’15 and former faculty member Amanda Mallory visited with Kristen Linton ’00, director of leadership annual giving, in Atlanta, Ga.

Will Taylor ’21 was on campus in March 2023, and visited with Jonathon Hawkins, associate director of alumni and development, and others.

The Webb School MAGAZINE

Lexis Sullens ’18 flew to London in November 2022 and had dinner with Nihat Yildrim, also a 2018 Webb graduate, who lives there.

Sullens lives in San Sebastián, Spain, and teaches in Beasain.

She planned the trip to London and then thought of classmate Yildrim. Sullens also visited the city for two days enjoying art museums, Buckingham Palace and other places of interest. She is trying to visit one country per month.

On Nov. 4, School of Music Professor Dr. Jeffery Ames debuted his masterwork composition “Requiem for Colour” at Belmont’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.

Carrie Simmons ’21 (Music Education) performed in Belmont’s Orchestra in front of an audience of more than 1,200 people.

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Sullens, McRady share Frere Grant

Dr. Tabetha Sullens ’94, assistant head of school, and Andrew McRady ’86, History Department faculty member, are sharing the 2023 Jon Frere Professional Development Grant during summer.

Members of Webb’s faculty and staff were recently celebrated with a “happy hour” reception in the school’s Alumni Center.

Hosted by the Alumni Board and Alumni and Development Office, this well-attended event featured treats from Chick-fil-A, Nothing Bundt Cake, and Webb’s Sage Dining. From left are Eric Fecht, Sarah DeLisle Fecht ’05, and Kristen Linton ’00 and Jonathon Hawkins, A&D staff members.

A strong interest in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion led Sullens to apply for the grant, and she will use it to attain a graduate certificate from Yale University, completing the Fostering Inclusion and Diversity program. The curriculum and the experience have a direct correlation with a segment of Sullens’ responsibilities as she serves as the lead for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts, leads the middle school and upper school diversity councils and chairs the DEI work within the Strategic Plan 2022.

McRady plans to travel to three different continents with his daughter, Siree McRady ’18, visiting Egypt, Turkey, and Thailand with a goal of discovering new ways to expand his students’ perspectives on historical events, various cultures and religions, and their global impact and significance. He will travel East from Washington, D.C., and continue eastward returning to his departure point, thus circumnavigating the globe in the process.

2022-2023 School Year

Kristen Linton ’00, left, director of leadership annual giving, moderated a Parents’ Weekend panel discussion with young alumni including, from left, Ethan Cocanaugher ’18, Madeline Boyanton ’19, Lexis Sullens ’18 and Travis Townes ’15.

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Gifts to the Webb Fund support projects and programs across campus, including financial aid.

Make your gift today!

www.thewebbschool.com/give

The Jon Frere Professional Development Grant provides funds annually for intellectual enrichment, career enhancement and professional expertise and/or classroom excellence opportunities.

Grants are funded by the James R. Meadows Jr. Foundation, which created an endowment in 2014.

Head of School Ken Cheeseman presents James I. Vance Berry Jr. ’72 with a resolution honoring him as Board of Trustees Chairman Emeritus at the April 21, 2023, board meeting. Berry served six terms for a total of 16 years on The Webb School Board of Trustees, four terms as trustee, 2006-2009, 2009-2012, 20132016 and 2016-2019, and two terms as chair, 2019-2021 and 2021-2023.

Webb Alumni Board announces the addition of three new members Recently, The Webb School Alumni Board welcomed three new members to its ranks who will each serve a three-year term: • Garrett King ’10, of San Francisco, Calif., Private Equity Associate with Housatonic Partners; • Pearson Murphy ’12, of Spartanburg, S.C., Tax Technology and Transformation Manager with EY; and • Scout Turner ’12, of Nashville, Tenn., Owner of CertaPro Painters of Nashville and Middle Tennessee.

Garrett King ’10

Pearson Murphy ’12

“The entire Alumni Board is excited to welcome three new members. This is yet another example of how Webb Alumni can have a lasting impact on the future of The Webb School, and I look forward to working with them,” said Alumni Board President Hudson Byrd ’05.

The following members have accepted service for an additional three-year term: Bob Davies ’76, Ted Goodman ’02, Caitlin Roberts ’03, Libby Willis ’80, and Jessica Woosley ’82.

Scout Turner ’12

In addition, three members rolled off after several years of meritorious service to the school: Curtis Jenkins ’92, Charlie Palmer ’77, and Morris Flexner ’79.

Webb’s Alumni Board is a volunteer advisory group consisting of alumni who support the school in numerous ways and represent the voices of alumni to Webb’s leadership team and the greater Webb Community. To learn more, please visit: https://www.thewebbschool.com/alumni/alumni-board.

Alums enjoy Follin Speaker presentation, celebrating Sennyeys

Preston Murrey ’70, Fred Alexander ’70

Webb recently extended a welcome to alumni from the late 1960s and early 1970s to visit campus for the Follin Speaker presentation

by Ruta Sepetys, an internationally acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction, as part of Webb’s endowed Follin Speaker Series. The alumni also celebrated the lives of two former faculty members John and Ines Sennyey. The Sennyeys

Geza and Peg Serenyi

Dorothy Elkins, Archie Gardner ’73

taught foreign languages at Webb from 1968 to 1973 and then retired, becoming active members of the Bell Buckle community until their passing in the 1990s. Among those attending the event in addition to alumni were Geza Serenyi and Peg Serenyi, a former Webb English teacher and librarian. The Serenyis were instrumental in getting the Sennyeys to come to Webb.

The Webb School MAGAZINE

Roy Turrentine ’73, Webb Follin III ’73, Robert Smith ’70, Wilson Sims ’72, Quintin Stimpson ’74, Jack Bailey ’72

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In Memoriam

The Webb School offers sincere sympathy to the families of departed classmates and friends.

Former Trustees Hugh Hunter Byrd ’56 of Charleston, Mo., passed away Oct. 31, 2022. Following the funeral service on Nov. 8 at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Nashville, Tenn., a celebration of life was held at Belle Meade Country Club in Nashville. He was placed to rest next to his wife, Sherrill, on Nov. 9 at the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly Cemetery, at Monteagle, Tenn.

(Published in The Tennessean Nov. 3. 2022)

Lewis Bear Jr. ’59, age 82, of Pensacola, Fla., passed away March 3, 2023, surrounded by his family. The funeral service was March 10, 2023, at Temple Beth-El of Pensacola, Interment followed at Temple Beth-El Cemetery. At the conclusion of services, a reception was held at the Pensacola Art Museum.

Special Webb Friend Mary Julia Dossett “Julie” Webb passed away Nov. 2, 2022, at her home in Knoxville, Tenn. She married William Robert “Bob” Webb III, a math and Latin teacher, in 1949 and soon settled into campus life at The Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tenn., a boys school founded in 1870 by Bob’s grandfather and namesake, William Robert Webb “Old Sawney”. In 1955, the young couple returned to Knoxville, where Bob founded the Webb School of Knoxville and served as headmaster and president for the next 29 years. A graveside burial was held on Nov. 11 at Berry Highland Memorial Cemetery in Knoxville. A funeral service, followed at Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church.

(Published in Knoxville News Sentinel Nov. 5, 2022)

Former Faculty Member Dr. Lucas G. “Luke” Boyd, age 90, departed this life for the next on April 21, 2023. A Celebration of Life service was held at Battle Ground Academy on April 30 in the Sondra Morris and Robert N. Moore, Jr. ’52 Center for Arts and Entrepreneurship theater. Dr. Boyd was not there. His spirit has gone to be with Jesus. His body has gone to Vanderbilt Medical School for use in medical research.

William “Bill” Benjamin Weaver passed away March 3, 2023, in Dalton, Ga. A memorial service was held on March 9, 2023, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Dalton.

(Published in the Daily Citizen March 6, 2023)

2022-2023 School Year

1940’s

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Aaron Jones Yorke IV ’49 died in his Raleigh, N.C., home March 26, 2023.

Ronnie Holmes ’55, of Jackson, Miss., died peacefully July 1, 2022, surrounded by love. He was 84 years old.

A Eucharist thanksgiving for his life was celebrated July 7 at St. James’ Episcopal Church in Jackson. Inurnment was at the church Columbarium.

(Published in Clarion-Ledger July 6, 2022)

1950’s

Edward L. “Ed” Kaplan ’54, Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota Medical School, age 87, of Golden Valley, Minn., passed away peacefully March 18, 2023. A private service was held on March 24. A celebration of life will be held this summer, 2023.

Michael D. Moss ’55, 84, of Lookout Mountain, Ga., passed away peacefully at home Nov. 15, 2022. There was no scheduled service. The family will continually celebrate his life.

Martin Joseph Lichterman Jr. ’64, a 76-year-old Memphis businessman, died July 15, 2022, after a twoyear struggle with pancreatic cancer. Services were at Second Presbyterian Church on July 21.

Richard “Dick” Murphy ’55, 84, of Kaufman, Texas, was called home by his Lord and Savior July 29, 2022.

Funeral services were held Aug. 2, 2022, at Country Bible Church in Kaufman with burial following at Cottonwood Cemetery in Scurry, Texas.

(Published by The Daily Memphian July 18, 2022)

Albert Vernon Goodin IV, ’56, age 84, a resident of Charleston, Mo., died Dec. 5, 2022, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Funeral services were conducted at First Baptist Church in Charleston on Dec. 9, 2022. Interment followed in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery near Charleston.

Richard Rothberg ’66, of Nashville, passed away March 1, 2023. A private service was held March 3, at The Temple.

Rev. Raymond Lee Prescott III ’57, of Knoxville, Tenn., passed away March 2, 2023. A celebration of life was held April 15, 2023, at Knox County Baptist Associations building in Knoxville, Tenn.

Michael Gleason Murphy ’68, 72, of Anderson, S.C., died Sept. 25, 2022, at his home. A memorial service was held Oct. 3, 2022, in The Tribute Room of The Standard Cremation & Funeral Center in Anderson.

(Published in Knoxville News Sentinel March 13, 2023)

(Published by The Advocate Oct. 9, 2022)

Joseph Bledsoe Murphey ’58, 82, aka “Brother Joe”, a loving husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend, passed away in his sleep Aug. 28, 2022, at his home in Oxford, Miss. The funeral was Sept. 1, 2022, at Waller Funeral Home.

1960’s

William Dale “Bill” Ashley ’60, age 80, of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., passed away Dec. 27, 2022. A Celebration of Life was conducted at Mars Hill United Methodist Church Jan. 7, 2023.

Charles Sumner Smart III ’68, 73, of New London, N.C., passed away on March 7, 2023, at Atrium Health Cabarrus, surrounded by his family. A memorial service was held March 12, 2023, at Wilkinson Funeral Home Chapel.

1970’s

Clifton Reginald “Reg” Lewis ’60 died at his home on Aug. 20, 2022, after a brief illness. He was 80 years old.

The family suggests any donations that may be made in Reg’s name be directed to the Guilford Free Library, 67 Park Street, Guilford, Conn.

Daniel M. Strauch ’60, 81, passed away Oct. 30, 2022, at home in Discovery Bay, Calif., surrounded by family after a long struggle with dementia. A memorial service was held Nov. 12, 2022, at the Byron United Methodist Church.

(Published by A. Carr & Son Funeral Home Aug. 16, 2022)

Ronda Colleen Gregory Adcock ’79, 61, of Unionville, Tenn., passed from this life Oct. 16, 2022, at her home surrounded by loved ones after an extended illness.

Funeral services were Oct. 19, 2022, in the Doak-Howell Funeral Home chapel. Burial followed at Crowells Chapel Cemetery.

1980’s

Susan Elisabeth LeQuire ’81, 59, Huntsville, Ala., died Jan. 20, 2023, surrounded by her loving family.

Graveside services were held at New Zion Cemetery in Pulaski, Tenn.

(Published in The Tennessean Sept. 24, 2022)

Robert Newton Yarbrough Jr. ’63, age 78, died at home on Oct. 10, 2022. A private celebration of life was held at Saint James Episcopal Church in Fairhope, Ala., Oct. 15, 2022.

Arthur Massey Fowler Jr. ’64, 77 years old, of Johnson City, Tenn., died on April 5, 2023. Funeral services were conducted April 16, 2023, at First Presbyterian Church in Johnson City, and committal services were April 17 in the Historic Section of the Mountain Home National Cemetery.

(Published by Johnson City Press April. 8, 2023.)

Laura Anne Turner ’86 of Scottsville, Ky., died on Jan. 16, 2023. She was 54 years old. A celebration of life was held at T.W. Crow & Son Funeral Home in Scottsville Jan. 22.

(Published by Legacy Remembers from Jan. 17 to Jan. 19, 2023)

1990’s

William Wayne Graham ’98, age 42 of Smithville, Tenn., passed away Feb. 9, 2023, at his residence. Funeral services were Feb. 15, 2023, at DeKalb Funeral Chapel, and burial followed in DeKalb Cemetery.

The Webb School MAGAZINE

Byron Coleman Roberts ’63, passed away peacefully with his family around him in Naples, Fla., Aug. 24, 2022, after a battle with cancer. A celebration of life service was held Oct. 22, 2022, at Green Hills Community Church.

Anthony David Keevan ’75, 65, passed away Aug. 12, 2022, in Shokan, N.Y. He died in the comfort of the home he shared with his partner of 20 years, Deibe Rondon, surrounded by those he loved. There was a private celebration of his life.

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2022-23 MEMBER

Post Office Box 488 Bell Buckle, TN 37020

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